Turnabout Carousel
by aroramage
Summary: It's just another typical case for Phoenix Wright. The murder victim's a gambler, the accused suspect is his daughter,  and the crime scene is...a carnival? Complications arise to turn the case on its head, and there's no getting off till the ride's done!
1. Chapter 1

**Merry-Go-Turnabout/Turnabout Carousel**

Prologue

"...round and round she goes,

where she'll stop, nobody knows!"

The cheerful electric voice sang out its only message to the world, as horses and hippos and lions and tigers and even bears circled beneath its colorful top. Round and round they circled about, with all sorts of people riding these statue-esque beasts showing no fear but rather enjoyment, laughter, merriment.

"Round and round she goes,

where she'll stop, nobody knows!"

The jubilant tune accompanying this bizarre scene simply made it all the more enjoyable for everyone inside the ride. There was nothing to fear, nothing to worry about, not a care in the world. Just the spinning of everything, going around and about the world.

"Round and round she goooes..."

A sudden blackout and the lights on the top dissipated, the beasts halted their rotative progress, and the people edged out of their delusional state of euphoria and looked about the darkness that quickly grasped their vision. They began to call out to each other, wondering what was going on, who to talk to, what to say.

"...wherrre she'lll stoooop..."

Their merriment had changed to bewilderment, and when the lights came back on, this changed to panic, as a little girl screamed at the sight of her father, slumped over a white stallion.

A knife in his back.

The tune came back on for the last time.

"...nobody knows..."

* * *

Chapter 1

May 5, 9:10 A.M.  
Wright & Co Law Offices

_Ah, sure feels good to wake up in the morning and enjoy a nice heap of nothing_, a spiky-haired man thought to himself sarcastically.

In truth, he sat in his office chair simply staring at the ceiling. There hadn't been any new court cases for a while now, and he was sure that if anything was to happen today, he hoped ironically it would be some grisly murder with a defendant asking for his services.

_Great, I'm starting to think like the old Edgeworth,_ he thought to himself, thinking of his prosecuting rival and friend. He heard Edgeworth had left the country not long ago to perform some work overseas. In the meantime, nothing happened.

Lazily, he plucked a feather off his blue suit, figuring it must have come from the pillow he slept on and blew it into the air. The days went by so slowly that sometimes he decided simply to laze about the office, even sleeping there for the night. The only thing that gave him peace of mind was that at any given moment, his good friend would come waltzing through the door and start talking about burgers or spirit medium stuff or the latest Steel Samurai spinoff show or something like that.

And just like that, he heard the door open up. He decided that he would at least sit up for his guest.

"So, how's it going today?" he asked absentmindedly.

"Terrible. Perhaps you'd like to listen to what's on my mind."

"Uh, okay, what's been going on?"

"Well, aside from my husband getting stabbed in the back, my daughter's been charged with his murder."

"What?"

The man finally took notice of the woman before him and realized it was not who he first thought it was. No, this was a client, and a very stern one at that. Her brown hair came down to her broad shoulders, her cat-eye glasses giving her eyes the cold stare of a very angry person. Or was that just her? She did seem rather ticked off. Her clothes were rather sharp to look at; he thought for a moment he'd cut himself just by trying to comfort he, if she had needed any.

"Um, yes, I'm sorry," he spluttered, "I must've dozed off or something."

"Well, wake up! I don't have all day to get you down to the detention center!" she spat, her fists nudging into her hips.

"I'm sorry, but who are you?"

"Of course, I take the time to look you up for being so famous and don't even bother introducing myself," she mumbled, folding her arms and looking particular pouty. Quickly she shifted into her previous position, her hands digging into her hips once more as she glared into his face. "Well, I'm Olivia Vale Fearanst, but you will address me as either Ms. Fearanst or Olivia, Mr. Phoenix Wright."

_Whoa, take it easy,_ Phoenix thought, instinctively putting his hands defensively and leaning back.

"Now come on! We don't have all day!" Olivia cried, forcefully grabbing his arm and quite literally dragging him out the door.

* * *

May 5, 10:00 A.M.  
Detention Center  
Visitor's Center

As usual the detention center was empty of everything but the security guard at the door and the few people who bothered visiting. Olivia was impatiently tapping her foot while Phoenix waited for his new client. He had already talked with his friend via cell phone and alerted her to where he was, and so it was not at all long before she arrived on the scene, dressed as normal in her traditional spirit medium acolyte's gown.

"Nick! Hey!" she said, calling Phoenix by her nickname for him.

"Hey, Maya," he responded. "Sorry about getting you to come here instead. Ms. Fearanst is -"

"Right here," Olivia interrupted, swiftly extending her hand. "The pleasure's all mine, Miss Fey."

"How do you know my name?" Maya asked curiously, a little taken aback by Olivia's sudden advance.

"Of course, I'm the only one who even _knows_ who anybody is," Olivia mumbled, crossing her arms. "I happen to read the paper every now and again. Don't think I haven't seen your picture come up a couple of times!"

"Oh...uh, well, that's nice," Maya said.

Phoenix knew of what Olivia referred to. He had to defend Maya in a couple of cases in the past, one being for the murder of his long time mentor Mia Fey, Maya's older sister.

"Well, I guess it's good to meet you too," Maya continued, a little timid of Olivia now. Turning her attention onto Phoenix, she asked, "So who's the one behind bars?"

"I don't know, but hopefully she's more pleasant than her mother," Phoenix said. Then he thought, _And how..._

"One coming in," the security guard called. And in walked the client.

Her very appearance was rather startling to Phoenix. It wasn't what she wore, nor any distinctive body feature of hers, but rather it was her youthful appearance. She appeared no older than 15 years. Considering most of his clients were at least in their twenties - with Maya being the one exception on multiple occasions - Phoenix couldn't figure why they would send a young girl to the detention center.

But then again, this was a murder case.

She sat down, her hair pulled back into a ponytail She was dressed casually in a small form-fitting tee, a navy blue with the design of a flower that looked more like it would appear in a video game.

"Um, hi," Phoenix said hesitantly. "I guess you are Ms. Fearanst's daughter then?"

The girl nodded her head slowly. She had evidently been crying and trying to remain calm and collected, but now her eyes began to well up once more. She began to remind Phoenix of Maya when he first saw her in this same position on that case so long ago.

"My name is Ellie Ipssiss Fearanst," she said, wiping away at her eyes to disguise the tears.

"Ellie," Phoenix said, "I know you're upset over being thrown in here after the death of your father and all, but -"

And then she looked away, reaching for her mouth as tears slowly dripped down her slender face.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Wright," she said sorrowfully, "but I don't know what to do at the moment."

"That's okay," he replied. "Most of my clients don't know what to do. And that's why I'm here."

Ellie turned back to Phoenix, wiping her eyes. "Of course," she said, sniffling a little. "I hope I can count on you."

"Maybe you could start by telling me what happened," Phoenix said.

Ellie bit her lip for a moment, then finally described the night before:

_"Well, my father wanted to take me over to the carnival last night. He knew it was a special place, and that I'd never actually been to one before. I mean, there are circuses and then there are carnivals, right? Anyway, he took me there just to have a good time. He was supposed to leave tomorrow morning on one of his business trips, and so he thought he would catch up with me before then. We tried all sorts of carnival rides and games and stuff. And then we went to the carousel..."_

Phoenix had an idea of where this was going, but as he hadn't heard anything about this case at all, he decided to press on the matter. "Ellie, please, could you continue?" he asked kindly.

She bit her lip once more before finally saying, "That's where it happened.

_"I remember distinctly that we rode around the white stallion. It's one of my dad's...well, was one of his favorite symbols. He was a philosopher in himself, really. But while we were on the ride, the lights went off. And not just the carousel, but most of the carnival suddenly just blacked out! For a moment, he held my hand saying that it would be fine. And then I could feel his hand twinge in the dark. And when the lights came back on..."_

She covered her mouth and turned away, tears rolling down her face once more. Phoenix turned toward Olivia, who was looking away from this tragic scene.

"How did he...pass on?" Phoenix asked, cautiously wording his phrase so as not to upset the defendant any further.

"I told you, didn't I? Stabbed in the back," she spat, annoyed by his question - or maybe just him? Then she grumbled something indistinct and looked away, her arms folded up in front of her.

Phoenix returned his attention back to Ellie, who had by then recovered from her recent episode of streaming rivers. "Ellie, if you please," Phoenix continued, "after the incident..."

Ellie looked at him, her tear-strewn face suddenly wrinkling into one of anger and hate. Her lips trembled but frowned, and finally she said, "I was immediately accused as the murderer and brought here. Incredible, isn't it?"

He was taken aback by her change in behavior, but he could understand why she was upset. When the world has turned its back on you, what else could you feel? He knew the feeling all too well.

"Listen," Phoenix said, "don't worry about the police. I'll handle the case and defend you until you're free. I promise."

Ellie continued to glare unintentionally at him, but finally she lowered her head and said, "Thank you."

"How are you feeling?" he asked in an attempt to break the ice.

She sniffled a little, then replied, "Alright, I guess. It's not great being behind the glass here. I'd rather be on your side."

"Don't worry about it," Maya said unexpectedly. "The food's actually not that bad. And the bed's kinda comfy too!"

Ellie smiled a little, the first time she had done so since they got there. "I take it you've been here before then?" she asked.

"Just a couple," Maya joked. "I'm a hardened criminal, ya know."

_Since when? _Phoenix thought as he looked at Maya in a peculiar manner. Turning his attention back to Ellie, he asked, "You mentioned your father was going to leave on a business trip today. What exactly does he do?"

And just like that, her smile disappeared. "He's an accountant," she said.

The surrounding area darkened as chains appeared and a complicated red lock bound them together. Phoenix knew what this was, but he was a little surprised to see one so soon.

_A Psyche-Lock_, he thought. The only reason he could see these Psyche-Locks to begin with was because of Maya's cousin, a little girl named Pearl who was apart of a branch family of the Fey clan and whose mother had once tried to put Pearl as the heir by framing Maya for murder. He had encountered Pearl at the house, where she gave up some spiritual energy to power the Magatama he received from Maya. This spiritual power enabled him to see the Psyche-Locks that kept people's secrets hidden from him - and unlock them.

"I see," he said, trying not to draw her suspicion. "Well then, I suppose I'll just leave you to your thoughts. I've got a little bit of preparation for the case ahead."

"Thank you for doing this," Ellie replied, nodding her head. "I owe you so much."

_And with some investigating, you'll owe me an explanation too,_ Phoenix thought to himself as he stood up and smiled. Then he turned to Olivia and asked, "Where was it your husband was murdered?"

She snorted and quickly said, "He was killed on the carousel at the Pidisque Carnival. It shouldn't be that hard to find; just look for the police."

"Thanks...I guess," Phoenix said, thinking, _This isn't going to go well, is it?_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Investigation I Part A

May 5  
Pidisque Carnival  
Ticket Booth

"Oh wow, Nick! This place is so cool!"

Maya couldn't contain her excitement. She hadn't been to the carnival in ages, and the last time she went to such an event, a murder happened.

_Huh, we really should try not to be at these places more often,_ Phoenix thought to himself, thinking of the poor former ringmaster. "Remember, we're here to look at the crime scene."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Maya responded, "but we can have some fun while doing it too, right?"

_Simple-minded as ever,_ Phoenix thought, smiling to himself.

Walking through the carnival, Phoenix saw many things he recognized from other carnivals he'd been to. There was the Toss-the-Ring booth, where one needed to toss a ring onto any one of the bottles in the center of the booth which would win you a prize if you were successful. And over there, the old Water Shooter game, where shooting water through air guns towards a target allowed for a duck to swim up and ring a bell. And who could forget the Bumper Car Arena, with its simple computer mouse-like vehicles that bumped into each other so very often?

And then he found the carousel. He recognized the familiar twists of gold extending from the colorful glittering top down through various points and resting in the necks of the plastic models that children rode around and around. There was a hippo, its mouth opened wide, and an alligator - or was it a crocodile? - and a zebra placed in front of it, whilst while in motion made it look like it was running away from the scaly predator. And then there was the white stallion, a bloody saddle staining its back curiously around the pole, forming a puddle beneath its hooves with the blood of its last rider; and there were the men in blue, investigating, taking photos, and doing what they normally did at the crime scene.

"Wow," Maya exclaimed, "this is an amazing carousel!"

"Too bad it's the scene of a crime," Phoenix pointed out.

"You think we'll get to ride it?" Maya mused, her hand pressed against her cheek, her arm supported by the other, such that she appeared to be thinking.

"Only when they're done with the clean-up," Phoenix said.

"Really? Well then we should help them out a little!" Maya said excitedly, clapping her hands together.

_Why can't I just keep my mouth shut?_

"Hey you!"

Suddenly appearing in front of the duo was a scruffy looking detective dressed in a dirty green trench coat. His muscular physique and simple haircut, accompanying the ever-present bandage on his face as if he had made a mistake shaving that morning, gave away his identity long before his heavy quick footsteps got within a few feet before him.

"Gumshoe," Phoenix muttered. His past encounters with the detective had been rough at first, but in the end, Detective Dick Gumshoe was just someone you couldn't rub off easily, and so the two were attached in some strange bond that allowed Phoenix to complete many of his cases. Usually, if there was an obstacle, Gumshoe was the first hurdle, and Phoenix knew him well enough to get what he needed from the scruffy detective.

"Well, well, if it isn't my good pal, Wright," Gumshoe said, taking in deep breathes as usual as if he had just run a marathon, his chin raised high. "I can guess what you're probably doing here."

"You know me well enough," Phoenix said. "So what happened here anyway? I've only been told there's a murder."

"Yep, that about sums it up quite nicely," Gumshoe noted, handing Wright a small photograph depicting the headshot of a man with a prominent five-o-clock shadow, bags beneath his eyes colored red and black, and a curious scar that formed a circle about his face.

"Who is he?" Phoenix asked.

"I'll bet he's one of the clowns!" Maya squeaked, terrified of the thought that a clown was murdered. Somehow, this reminded Phoenix of another clown he met sometime before.

_Boy, I hope he was actually funny,_ Phoenix thought to himself.

"Well, no, he's not a clown," Gumshoe replied, drawing Phoenix's attention back to himself. "Goes by the name of Sir Cameron Fearanst, sometimes just known as Cam. Apparently a famous gambler who frequented the roulette wheel."

"Sir Cameron Fearanst?" Maya asked curiously. "So he's like a knight or something?"

"I don't know myself, honestly," Gumshoe said, his head hanging low. "But that's what he told everyone to call him, so the title just stuck, I guess."

_I can understand why anyone would want to kill him for a title like that,_ Phoenix thought, a rather sadistic and silly thought which he quickly dismissed as far as motives.

"Here's the autopsy report we got," Gumshoe said, handing Phoenix a manilla envelope. "I figured you would ask for one anyway, so I thought I'd make a copy."

**Autopsy Report added to the Court Record.**

Phoenix scanned the report on its details.

"_Victim stabbed in the back with a long blade. Cut begins at the base of the neck. Death was near instantaneous."_

Phoenix looked up at Gumshoe.

"Cut begins at the base of the neck?" Phoenix asked.

"It wasn't pretty," Gumshoe said with much melancholy. "Turns out whoever killed the guy had a real deep hatred for him, cause they didn't stop till they were halfway down his back."

Maya gasped and held her hand to her mouth, and Phoenix himself felt partially nauseated by this, especially when he thought that only a few hours earlier he himself hoped for just this kind of a case.

"The crime scene's over there," Gumshoe said, pointing towards where the group of officers were gathering their materials and taking their last few photographs around the carousel. "Feel free to look around as much as you need to, pal. We're pretty much wrapping up here anyway."

"Hey, one quick question," Phoenix asked. "Why are you so helpful today? I mean, you're giving me things you'd probably give to the prosecutor in charge."

"Well, that's just it, pal," Gumshoe replied. "There is no prosecutor."

_No prosecutor?_ Phoenix thought. "But then how is there a trial?"

"Beats me," Gumshoe shrugged. "I suppose one will turn up by tomorrow."

_How very reassuring._ _Guess__ I should ask a little bit more about what's going on behind the scenes,_ Phoenix thought, thinking particularly of the victim.

"So, Sir Cameron Fearanst, right?" Phoenix asked.

"Yep, the victim as it were," Gumshoe replied. "Made the big time playing the roulette wheel as a professional gambler."

"How do you become a professional at roulette?" Maya asked curiously.

"Well, no one really knows how he was able to amass his fortune off of the roulette," Gumshoe replied. "I think he was just really good at guessing honestly. I tried playing roulette once, but I kinda lost what I bet on it."

_He could actually bet on roulette? What kind of time does he have?_ Phoenix thought to himself. Then he noted, "Someone must have really had it out for him to inflict the kind of wound described in the autopsy report."

"Well, it is a curious wound," Gumshoe said. "To say he was simply stabbed would be an understatement, a bit unprecedented as it were."

"Wow, that's a really big word, Gumshoe!" Maya exclaimed excitedly for some reason.

"Heh, I can tussle with the braniacs in the forensics department on a good day," Gumshoe said, beaming with some sort of unfound pride.

_Same old Gumshoe_, Phoenix thought. He decided to direct their attentions back to the curiosity that was the knife wound: "So how's the knife wound different from other stabbings?"

"I'm telling ya, pal," Gumshoe said, looking over his shoulder, "if there was a scale from 1-10 on how gruesome this kind of a wound was, I'd give it a 13."

"That's...pretty gruesome," Maya said, taken aback a bit.

"Well, mostly cause he'd have to be the luckiest man in the world to survive an injury like that," Gumshoe replied. "The knife itself was thrust forcefully through the back of the neck, and the blade itself went straight through the victim's throat. I'm not just saying that to exaggerate, pal, I mean the blade went all the way."

"Oh my," Maya said, holding a hand to her mouth. Phoenix himself began to have that nauseating feeling in the pit of his stomach once more.

"To make the message really sink in," Gumshoe continued, "the attacker then brought the knife down the spinal cord a good couple of inches. Granted, death was near instantaneous due to spinal shock as a result of the knife going through the base of the neck, but even so, they kept going. Curiously, there's only a small opening on the other side of the victim's body where the blade first punctured that side of the neck, but I don't think it really mattered."

"Geez," Phoenix said, "someone really wanted this guy dead."

"And it would seem he wanted to do it right," Gumshoe added.

_Couldn't have killed him any harder unless he tried,_ Phoenix thought.

The trio stood silently, pondering upon this gruesome detail of the case. Suddenly, Maya piped up and asked, "So what carnival is this anyway?"

"Well, I think I read some article that said this was the Pidisque Carnival," Gumshoe answered.

"Pidisque?" Phoenix asked, puzzled by the strangeness of the name.

"Yeah, pal," Gumshoe continued. "And there's a story behind it, too! The story goes that a long time ago, there was a man who dreamed of hosting a carnival, with all the people and the acts and all that stuff. Inspired by childhood fantasies and fairy tales and all sorts of stuff like that. Well one day, he finds a circus boy and invites him to his carnival. And ever since, the carnival itself has grown tenfold into what you see today."

"That's an amazing story!" Maya exclaimed. "Almost like a fairy tale all its own!"

"And just who is the owner anyway?" Phoenix asked.

"Well, intel says that his name's Dahnjent Pidisque," Gumshoe replied. "It's a curious name, and the man behind it just as curious, maybe even on the edge of fantastic."

"Golly, I wanna meet this guy!" Maya squealed.

"Well, I'd introduce ya to him," Gumshoe said, looking over his shoulder, "but apparently, he's nowhere to be found."

"Nowhere to be found?" Phoenix asked. "Why is that?"

Gumshoe rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know what to tell ya, pal," he said. "We've looked everywhere, even visited the trailer park where all the carnies go. The guy's nowhere to be found."

"That sounds rather odd," Phoenix noted.

"Then again, would you stick around your own carnival with a killer on the loose?" Gumshoe asked.

_I'd at least be here to answer the questions,_ Phoenix thought to himself. "Well, I guess we'll just have to go searching for him."

"Good luck with that," Gumshoe replied. "There should be a few employees around and about, but I doubt they've seen much."

And with that, Gumshoe departed the scene, leaving Phoenix and Maya by themselves. Phoenix turned to Maya, who looked back at him eagerly.

"What's say we investigate this carousel?" Maya asked, a devilish twinkle in her eye.

_We should, but I think I'll be the only one looking for anything important,_ Phoenix thought to himself as he nodded to Maya.

"Oh pal!"

Phoenix and Maya both turned back to Gumshoe who wielded what appeared to be a small brochure of some kind.

"Before I forget, you might want this for exploring the carnival," Gumshoe said, handing over the paper to Phoenix. Phoenix looked at it for a moment and realized quickly that it was a map.

"They make maps of the carnival?" Phoenix asked.

"Apparently," Gumshoe replied. "I just kinda found that on the ground. Feel free to keep it!"

And with that, Gumshoe ran off once more.

**Carnival Map added to the Court Record.**

Phoenix quickly perused the map, familiarizing himself with its contents. He took note of the various attractions spread out across the carnival, as well as the trailer park Gumshoe mentioned earlier. Afterwards, he packed the map back into the Court Record.

"A carnival with a convenient map. Who'd think of such a thing?" Phoenix thought aloud.

"Oh come on, Nick," Maya chimed. "How many times have you been stuck in a carnival wondering where you were? I know I've been there a couple of times."

"I don't think it really matters in your case," Phoenix said. "You would be too distracted by everything in the carnival."

"Yeah...but still, it's the thought that counts," Maya said.

"I guess the first thing to do is investigate that carousel," Phoenix said, turning his attention to the crime scene.

"Suit yourself," Maya responded.

Phoenix began looking about the crime scene, taking in every detail from the red saddle of blood that poured its reigns over the sides of the stallion to just about every other part of the carousel. If there was one thing experience taught him, it was to look at everything at the scene of a crime. Even the smallest little thing could prove vital in overturning a case. Like that latch undone near the spot above the stallion.

_...wait...what's this?_ Phoenix looked directly at the one tile above the stallion that dangled from the top.

"Maya, look at this," he called out to Maya, who as he suspected was imagining spinning around on the carousel atop the hippo. She quickly got off and hustled over to him, looking up at the tile he now pointed to.

"Huh," Maya said, "and I thought it was something big."

"It very well could be," Phoenix pointed out. "Why wouldn't the guy who runs the carousel have fixed that?"

"I don't know," Maya replied. "It just doesn't seem that important, honestly. I mean unless there's some way of connecting it to the case."

_She has a point, _Phoenix thought. _A loose tile hardly has anything to do with murder. Unless..._

"Maybe it was premeditated?" Phoenix thought aloud.

"No, Phoenix, the murderer just happened to accidentally shove a knife into Sir Cam's back," Maya huffed, a little annoyed.

"I think we ought to keep this in the Court Record just as a clue for now," Phoenix said.

**Loose Tile added to Court Record**

"Hey Phoenix!" Maya called out. "Check this out!"

Phoenix looked up to find Maya now riding a unicorn, her legs flailing as she wildly rode the unmoving beast on a route to nowhere.

_She has got to be some kind of crazy,_ Phoenix thought as he said, "You know you won't get anywhere on that thing, right?"

"What're you talking about, Nick? Unicorns are the fastest creatures alive!" Maya squealed gleefully.

"If they existed, maybe," Phoenix noted as something caught his eye about the unicorn. Then he walked up to investigate the beast more closely.

"You want a turn after me, I know you do!" Maya exclaimed, nearly kicking Phoenix in the head as she dismounted.

"Maya," Phoenix said, "I think I've got something vital here."

Maya walked about to where Phoenix was, his hand covering up a part of the majestic mythical beast.

"Nick, his leg isn't a vital clue," Maya said.

"Not the leg," Phoenix said, drawing his hand away from the unmoving beauty. "What's on the leg."

* * *

**COURT RECORD**

Profiles  
Sir Cameron Fearanst - the victim, found dead on the back of a white stallion. A professional gambler, he frequently plays on the roulette wheel.  
Ellie Ipssiss Fearanst - the defendant, 15-year old daughter of the victim. She plays off being innocent well.  
Olivia Vale Fearanst - the victim's wife. She was the one who sought my help for the case against her daughter.

Evidence  
Attorney Badge - I keep this with me as proof that I'm an attorney. It only does so much for me.  
Magatama - A mystical tool that allows me to look into people's hearts and break the locks that keep them from telling the whole truth.  
Autopsy Report - Victim was stabbed in the back. Death was near instantaneous due to spinal shock.  
Carnival Map - A convenient map of the carnival. Who knew they had such things for carnivals?  
Loose Tile - A tile hanging by a hinge from the carousel's big top over the crime scene. Curious little thing.

* * *

Wow, really big turn-out for the first chapter. I'm as much a Phoenix Wright fan as anyone, and I'm glad to hear that I've kept Phoenix and Maya in character. Hopefully Gumshoe comes out the same for you too.

Maybe you're wondering about some of the original characters and where the story came about and such. So I guess I can use this section for just such a purpose.

Ellie and Olivia Fearanst. Hopefully by now you've caught on to the referencing within their names (Sir Cam Fearanst, El-Ipssiss, O-Vale). Yes, these happen to coincide with circles, much like what you may find with some other characters later on. The Pi-disque Carnival ought to be obvious too.

I had to think a little with how I started all of this, and having a client march in to Wright's office and yank him out by the ear no more than two minutes later was something I wanted. And lo and behold, a demanding housewife arose with Olivia. Natural contrast? An innocent young maiden...or teenager, as Ellie is.

Now why is Sir Cameron Fearanst, punny names aside (ha, it's a pun), a professional roulette gambler? Just the thought was something I wanted to toy with, after an encounter with such a roulette with my college's Las Vegas themed Casino Night. Not to mention I wanted to write a Wright fanfic based around a carousel, and hey, when you've got circles as an overall theme, roulette's a natural option.

Why around a carousel? Just a fun thought. I was introduced to Phoenix Wright by a friend, and I've borrowed and played through the first four games (PW, PW:JFA, PW:T&T, AJ), with the first now residing in my iPhone. I hope eventually to borrow and play through the Miles Edgeworth games too, just to get the full context of the world. Also eager for Gyakuten Saiban 5! But in any case, the stories and twists and intricacies fascinated me to fandom, and reading through a couple of Phoenix Wright fanfics oriented around the cases helped inspire the creation of Turnabout Carousel (or as I originally thought of Merry-Go-Turnabout).

Inspired personalities and stories is what I'm about with this fanfic. The one question I do want to ask myself whenever I go through with a chapter is, "Does this sound like a Phoenix Wright case from the games?" Because that's what I want to write it as. That's how I hope it feels, to read it as though you the reader were playing through the game with this dialogue and finding these clues. And who knows, maybe you'll figure out the killer before Phoenix.

But we've got so much left to go through before we get there. Time to investigate that carnival!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Investigation I Part B

Where Phoenix's hand had been were a set of initials, ARC, etched crudely into the unicorn's paralyzed leg.

"What's 'ARC' stand for?" Maya asked thoughtfully.

"I don't know," Phoenix answered, "but I do know this is the beginning of what could be a long line of suspects."

"That's a good thing, right?" Maya asked.

_Why would it be a bad thing?_ Phoenix wondered to himself curiously but decided to ignore the impulse.

"Yes," he said, "it's a good thing. It could help prove our client's innocence if necessary. In any case, I should get it down in the Court Record."

**Initials added to Court Record**

"I think we should try and find the man behind all of this," Phoenix said, standing up.

"You mean the murderer?" Maya asked, almost a little too excited at the prospect.

"No, I mean the carnival's manager," Phoenix said. "We need to find him if we're to get to the bottom of this."

"Isn't he supposed to be missing or something?" Maya continued.

"Supposedly," Phoenix said, "but I think we can find him if we just look around a little. We won't have much else to do anyway."

Phoenix looked around for a moment, surveying the carnival. Finally, his eye caught sight of a gathering of metal trailers, the glare shining off their bare exteriors.

_And I think I know where to look first,_ Phoenix thought, and he started to head straight for the trailers, Maya at his heels.

May 5  
Pidisque Carnival  
Trailer Park

_Odd, there doesn't appear to be anyone around_, Phoenix thought.

Upon entering the area, Phoenix took note of the arrangement of the trailers, being circled up around a fire pit. The trailers themselves didn't appear at all out of the ordinary. Perhaps Gumshoe was wrong about the employees being around.

"I wonder where everyone's gone," Maya thought aloud, posing thoughtfully it seemed.

"Maybe they didn't want to stick around," Phoenix suggested. After all, a murder did occur only last night. It's only natural to escape the scene of the crime after being questioned by the police.

"Well well, who be you?"

Phoenix and Maya turned towards the high-pitched squeal to find a rather curious fellow looking from aside a trailer. The man couldn't have been more than five feet in height and surprisingly youthful. He was a little pudgy, but as Phoenix noted he had a bit of a spring in his step. Literally.

The fellow hopped over to the duo and continued hopping in front of them as he said, "Ha-lo-ha! Whacha doing here at de carny park?"

_I wished he'd stop bouncing,_ Phoenix thought, watching the midget continue to bounce up to his eyes and then back down to the ground. "Uh, could you maybe stop bouncing for a moment? Please?"

"Yousa wants me to stops the hipping-hopping-hippery-hoppery-doodle-laddle-day?" the rabbity fellow asked.

"Ah, he's so cute!" Maya squealed. "He's like one of those rubber balls you'd find at the toy store!"

_Now that she mentions it, he _does _look like some kid's ball,_ Phoenix thought to himself. The man was perhaps round enough and colorful enough to be just that, what with the costume he wore. It reminded Phoenix of a clown's outfit, with the little party hat on the small man's head. It was absurd. Unless...

"You wouldn't happen to be one of those 'characters' from the...you know..." Phoenix wasn't sure how to finish that sentence, but somehow the funny little man figured it out.

"Whacha thinking? Me in the House of Freaks?" the man-boy-ball asked.

"Well...sure," Phoenix said.

And that's when the ball-man-boy stopped his bouncing suddenly. Just stopped. As if for some mysterious reason the gravity just shifted from light as a feather to boulder-heavy. The fellow looked at Phoenix with surprising aggression.

"Whacha mean by DAT, pal?" the man demanded, his voice descending an entire octave - maybe two - to accompany his threatening tone. Phoenix and Maya both were taken aback.

"Nothing, nothing! I just thought...well, you know..." Phoenix stammered, thinking, _Place sign over mouth. Write "Insert Foot Here." Question marks and-_

"Oh it's okay, cause it's true!" the man squeaked once again, then continued his bouncing.

_...profit?_

"Nick? What was that?" Maya asked, still startled by the ball-boy-man's sudden outburst.

"I'm...not sure," Phoenix said. _I guess he's an employee or something. I suppose that means he knows __about the murder. But then..._

"Might I ask you who you are?" Phoenix asked.

"Me? Yousa wanna know who me is?" the man asked back.

"If you could," Maya replied. "After all, I'd like to know who I should come back and see for the show."

_How can she think of business at a time like this?_ Phoenix thought.

"Tha name's Ron D. Globus," the man replied, bouncing merrily all the while. "Yousa can calls me Ron!"

"Nice to meetcha, Ron," Maya said. "I'm Maya, and this here's Nick!"

"Nickie and Maya! Hip-hop-hippee-yippee-yay!" Ron mirthfully sang.

_He's definitely a character all his own_, Phoenix thought.

"So what do you do in the Hall of Extraordinary People?" Maya asked.

"Oh, don'tcha mind the title, dearie-dreary-weary-feary-dear!" Ron exclaimed exuberantly. "After all, it's just something to expects out of a carnival."

"Glad to hear it," Phoenix said. "So what do you do here at Pidisque Carnival?"

"Why I bounces about!" Ron squealed. "I hippity-hoppity-hip-hop-boo-boppity-boom all about the place! That's whats I do as the Bouncing Boy!"

"So your act is bouncing?" Maya asked.

"No, that's just an extra stage name in case the Buoyant Boy falls through," Ron answered.

"The Buoyant Boy?" Phoenix pressed.

"Yepper-depper-prepper-yepper-doo!" Ron said, bouncing cheerfully again.

_I'm really starting to hope he stops bouncing_, Phoenix thought. Then, addressing Ron again, he said, "So I'm sure you've heard of the murder at the carousel."

Just like that, Ron deflated, landing on the ground like a popped beach ball. The manner in which Ron did this reminded Phoenix of the thought of a giant inflatable cartoon flying about the air before plunging into a lake. Funny, that lake was also the scene of a murder.

"Tha man-man-man-man-manly-man-man-man," Ron said, an octave lower than usual. "Poor guy. Heards all about him. The knife and everyt'ing."

"I know. I heard from a colleague," Phoenix said. "You wouldn't have seen anything by any chance, would you?"

Ron sighed a rather heavy sigh. "Yeah, I wishes I could helps a little," he said, "but I didn't see much. Besides, I was in the hall, doing my spiel."

"The Buoyant Boy Act," Phoenix concluded.

"Tha's rightie-o," Ron said. Then he cupped his hands around his mouth and in an impression of an announcer, he triumphantly called out, "Nothing can sink the Buoyant Boy!"

"You tell em, Ron!" Maya cheered enthusiastically, sparking the little

_Even now, he thinks about the business. That's got to be some kind of hidden dedication,_ Phoenix thought to himself. _Maybe I should do some searching around the area. Ron couldn't be the only one around here. But first..._

"You wouldn't happen to know where the other employees are?" Phoenix asked.

"Mesa? I has no idea where a lot of people are at tha moment," Ron answered. "If I takes a guess, I'd be saying there are some at the Hall just down the ways."

"That'll help," Phoenix replied. "Thanks for talking with us, Ron."

"No problem-o-way-mo-shame-o-blam-o!" Ron said, bouncing on every other word. "If you needs me, I'll be hanging round heres!"

Phoenix turned to Maya, nodded his head towards the direction of the Hall of Freaks, and began to walk towards the attraction.

May 5  
Pidisque Carnival  
Hall of Freaks

The first impression Phoenix got from the Hall of Freaks was understandable. The entryway, rather than being a simple tent flap, was an elaborately ornate rendition of a foul creature, its mouth opened wide to consume any who wished to enter. The tent that the entrance supported played off the theme, being covered in scales that had various pictures of rather gruesome and grotesque caricatures of the acts inside. Ron for instance was depicted as more of a cartoon than a small and round man, although there wasn't much of a difference upon retrospect.

"This sure is freaky," Maya said, as though she could read Phoenix's mind.

"I guess they gave it the right name then," Phoenix said.

"Check out all these acts they have!" Maya exclaimed, admiring the images upon the Hall's fabric. "They have Ron's Buoyant Boy act, a snake lady, some guy with flames and swords - this is so cool!"

At the mention of the swords, Phoenix thought back to the crime scene and the autopsy report. Though a sword would be a difficult to wield much less be used as a murder weapon, the thought that this particularly individual might know something regarding the knife would be worth quite a bit.

"Hello? Is someone out here?"

Phoenix and Maya jumped not only at the voice but upon the sight of the body accompanying it. The voice belonged to a beautiful woman, her head sporting a serpentine headdress from which her burgundy hair fell from. Her skin was dark as though she had been in the sun for a while, and her arms were decoratively tattooed with a pattern of scales. She would've appeared perfectly normal if not for the snake-like body that comprised of what would have been her legs. Aside from this reptilian abnormality, she appeared relatively normal.

"Salutationssss," she said, slithering silently towards them. "What might I be able to do for yooou?"

_Oh my, I think my heart just stopped beating and I'm just going to drop dead,_ Phoenix thought, nervously swallowing.

The lady seemed to take note of this and chuckled. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Um...not really, no...just..." Phoenix could not have appeared less capable than he did in this one moment.

The lady laughed once more. "Please, don't let my appearance disorient you," she cooed lavishly. "I'm more than just an act, I assure you."

_And I believe you!_ Phoenix thought. Finally he asked, "Uh...could I ask for your name?"

"Certainly," the lady said. "Ethelinda Nejem, also known as the Ssssnake Lady. And you?"

"P-P-P-Phoenix Wright," Phoenix replied. "And this is Maya, my assistant."

"Hi," Maya said, as though she were trying to maintain a calm demeanor despite the lady in front of her.

"Charmed," Ethelinda said. "Perhaps you are here to ask of me a few questionsss?"

"Yes! That's exactly why we're here!" Phoenix replied, startled and surprised at her incredible guesswork.

"It's not that hard to tell," Ethelinda explained. "You are dressed in a professional manner, though your assistant is different in this regard, and you have approached me not long after a murder, so you must have some sort of legal position within the world. The fact that you have come here is to resolve something you haven't figured out, though had you been with the police, you would know all of what I told them, meaning you are not. Therefore, I believe you to be an attorney of some sort. Being that you did not appear with the police, I might say you were a defense attorney specifically, but who can say?"

For a moment, Phoenix was astonished. To think she knew who he was before he really introduced himself! Finally he composed himself and simply nodded.

"I'm impressed," he said.

"Well then," Ethelinda continued. "Ask away. I can only do my bessst."

"So you are the Snake Lady, eh?"

"Yesss," Ethelinda replied. "I charm the audience with my dancing."

"You must be fascinating to watch," Maya said.

"So I'm told," Ethelinda noted. "It's the reality I live with now."

"So are you...well...half-snake?" Phoenix asked out of curiosity.

Etheinda laughed in her charming manner. "No, no," she answered. "I only have this as a costume. I use it to cover my 'secret'."

"Your secret?" Phoenix asked.

Ethelinda nodded. "Yes," she said, "my secret. I don't think it necessary for me to tell you that."

Phoenix paused. For a moment, he expected something to happen, but nothing appeared before him.

_Odd,_ Phoenix thought, _I would've thought a Psyche-lock or two to show up after admitting to having a secret._

"Not all things in the world are readily available to you, Mr. Wright," Ethelinda said smiling. "You don't need it for the case at hand, so I trust you'll let it go."

_That's never really been my style,_ Phoenix thought. He then asked, "So you obviously know about the murder?"

"Of courssse," Ethelinda replied. "Everyone here knows of the murder of Sir Cameron Fearanst. He was one of our biggest supporters, as it turns out."

"Sir Cameron supported the carnival?" Phoenix asked, intrigued by this new development.

"Yesss," Ethelinda answered. "Sir Cameron and Dahnjent were very close friends, actually. They had known each other for years, and they certainly supported each other in many ways. Sir Cameron would donate some parts of his fortune to the carnival, and Dahnjent in turn would help him with his own personal dilemma."

"Dilemma?" Maya wondered aloud. "What kind of dilemma?"

"I have no thought towards that," Ethelinda said.

And then they appeared. Two red locks bound together by chains surrounded Ethelinda, clattering and clanking and finally clicking shut. Phoenix realized what had happened and what he needed to do.

_Psyche-Locks_, he thought, _concerning the dilemma Sir Cameron Fearanst had. Could it be these __connect back with those locks surrounding the Fearanst family?_

"I hope I have not startled you," Ethelinda said. "I'm sorry I couldn't help more for now."

"Wait!" Phoenix exclaimed. "I need to know one more thing!"

"Of course," Ethelinda mused.

"Do you know where the owner is?" Phoenix continued.

"Dahnjent? He is not here?" she asked.

"We were hoping you'd know," Phoenix said.

Ethelinda shook her head. "I'm afraid I only know of two spots where he could be," she said, "and if the police have already checked both, then I have no clue where he is."

"Where did you say he could be?" Phoenix asked.

"Either within his trailer," she answered, "or the Hall of Mirrors."

_Of course they have a Hall of Mirrors_, Phoenix thought. He pulled out the carnival map he had in the Court Record and asked, "Could you point out where it is?"

Ethelinda slithered to Phoenix, which seemed to freak him out a little, and perused the map curiously. "I did not realize you had a map in your possession," she commented.

"Don't you have a lot of these?" Phoenix asked.

"We don't provide maps for our carnival," Ethelinda explained. "This one is very accurate for our current set-up. I'm impressed with whoever did this. Might I take a closer look?"

"Uh, sure," Phoenix answered, handing her the map.

For a moment, Ethelinda looked over the map. Then she flipped it around to the back and looked about it before pointing at a corner.

"I think this is the person who made this map," she said, handing the map back to Phoenix, her hand still pointed towards the corner on the map.

Naturally, Phoenix looked there first. And there they were: ARC.

"What the -?"

Whoever this "ARC" was, they were beginning to play a larger role in this murder than Phoenix originally thought. Not only were their initials etched a part of the crime scene, they had made a map of the carnival.

_Who is this guy?_ was all Phoenix could think about.

**Carnival Map updated in the Court Record.**

* * *

COURT RECORD

Profiles  
Sir Cameron Fearanst - the victim, found dead on the back of a white stallion. A professional gambler, he frequently plays on the roulette wheel.  
Ellie Ipssiss Fearanst - the defendant, 15-year old daughter of the victim. She plays off being innocent well.  
Olivia Vale Fearanst - the victim's wife. She was the one who sought my help for the case against her daughter.  
ARC - the initials left at the crime scene. Whoever this is, they might be the only other suspect besides Elly.  
Ron D. Globus - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Buoyant Boy" for his ability to stay above water...and for his size.  
Ethelinda Nejem - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Snake Lady" due to her appearance.

Evidence  
Attorney Badge - I keep this with me as proof that I'm an attorney. It only does so much for me.  
Magatama - A mystical tool that allows me to look into people's hearts and break the locks that keep them from telling the whole truth.  
Autopsy Report - Victim was stabbed in the back. Death was near instantaneous due to spinal shock.  
Carnival Map - A map of the carnival made by ARC. It's an accurate rendering of the layout.  
Loose Tile - A tile hanging by a hinge from the carousel's big top over the crime scene. Curious little thing.  
Initials - "ARC", left on a unicorn on the carousel. Could be another suspect in the murder case.

* * *

It's never easy coming up with characters. If it was, we'd probably be able to fit in a lot more characters than we need to. But trust me, each is important in their way, I'm making sure of that.

Ron D. Globus. Bouncing Buoyant Boy, the Unsinkable Oddity of the free world! Or something to that effect. But yes, more punny names (rond means round, circular, or plump; goblus means globe, and it's Latin). I didn't know what to make of this first character. Honestly, aside from the original characters I did come up with, I had no one else. So naturally I had to think of carnival acts. Never heard of a Buoyant Boy, but natural oddities are common.

Ethelinda Nejem, the Snake Lady. No surprises what she's based off of. I tried looking for actual snake women and got some...well, smaller and more disturbing images, but they were technically snake women. Couldn't find anything for what I was looking for, concerning her secret, but yeah, it'll be revealed in time. Ethelinda is an older name, coming from the Medieval times where it's based off of the Old English name _Æðelind, _which sums up to being "noble snake". Isn't that neat? Nejem is an Arabic surname meaning "star", and since I couldn't find anything snake-related for surnames, I think this makes more sense.

And we still don't know who that ARC guy is! He makes maps, carves his initials into poor defenseless immobile unicorns - he's all over the place! And for that matter, where's the Hall of Mirrors so we can find the owner? Find out in the next exciting chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Investigation I Part C

"Is something wrong?" Ethelinda asked.

"N-no! It's fine," Phoenix answered. "Really. Nothing to worry about!"

Ethelinda looked at Phoenix before smiling. "You're a terrible liar, you know?" she said.

_How does she _do_ that?_ Phoenix wondered. "It's just that I've seen those initials somewhere else before."

"I see," Ethelinda said. "In any case, the Hall of Mirrors is just right over here."

"Thank you," Phoenix said, "we'll be in touch."

"Just what the police said too," Ethelinda cooed, slithering back towards the Hall of Freaks.

Phoenix simply looked after her, a shiver slithering down his spine. _Oh great, I'm even thinking like a snake_, he thought to himself as he turned in the direction of the Hall of Mirrors, Maya right at his heels.

"So the mystery deepens," Maya said.

"Yes it does," Phoenix replied.

May 5  
Pidisque Carnival  
Hall of Mirrors

At first glance, there wasn't anything particularly special about the Hall that stood out to Phoenix. It appeared to be a rather ordinary building, save for the red-coated metal of which the structure was composed of. The wooden sign above the entryway read, "Hall of Mirrors" in a dull, faded yellow paint that may have been gold at one point. If he tilted his head to the side, Phoenix thought he could still see the remaining glimmer of the paint.

"Here we are," he said. "The Hall of Mirrors."

"I wonder why this place is so special to the owner?" Maya asked thoughtfully.

"Who knows," Phoenix answered. "In any case, this is the only lead we've got on his whereabouts."

"Have you ever been in a Hall of Mirrors before, Nick?" Maya asked, that devilish grin on her face once.

"Sure I have," Phoenix replied. "Why?"

"Nothing," Maya said smiling. "Just try not to lose yourself in there."

_I don't know what she's thinking, but knowing it's Maya..._

Phoenix's thoughts drifted for a moment to wonder what Maya meant when she yanked him out of his thoughts and into the Hall. Literally.

"Come on, Nick!" she said. "We've gotta find the Head Honcho!"

_Head Honcho? Where did _that _come from?_ Phoenix thought as he was pulled into the Hall of Mirrors.

Just on the other side of the entrance was an area not unlike a lobby or a waiting room accompanied by a couple of benches and a podium with a sign in front of it. Phoenix read the sign:

Welcome to the  
Hall of Mirrors!

Enter within and find the truth  
Behind the reflection's image aloof  
Seek the door  
Hidden before  
Your adventurous spirit seeking the booth.

_Wonder what this means?_ Phoenix thought.

Maya, curious as ever, walked over to Phoenix and read the sign as well. She repeated the limerick aloud as if to find something more by saying rather than just reading it.

"...your adventurous spirit seeking the booth. I wonder what that means?" she asked.

_Déjà vu?_

"It's probably just some riddle put up for show," Phoenix said. "It probably doesn't mean much."

"Ah, come on, Nick," Maya said. "These things always mean more than what they say! Maybe this is how we get to the owner!"

_What is this, a game of hide-and-seek with puzzles?_ Phoenix thought as Maya took to reciting the poem over and over so as to memorize it before darting into the maze. _Oh great, now she's run into the hall. I guess I better go after her._

Phoenix walked in through the entryway into the official Hall of Mirrors. Just he passed through, he heard a door slide shut. Quickly looking about him, he found himself surrounded by mirrors reflecting his image back at him.

_Is someone watching us?_ he thought, checking the mirrors closest to him to make sure where the path was. The ever-ominous feeling of someone watching him struggle certainly wasn't a comforting notion. Once he found himself reoriented, he proceeded down the hall of mirrors into the more maze-like construct of the hall. He could hear laughter echo off the walls and occasionally saw a purple blur pass through the hall.

"Phoenix, you in here?" Maya called out.

"Yes," he answered, "I'm in here. I think we're probably stuck though."

"Why's that?" Maya asked.

"I think someone shut some kind of door behind me," Phoenix answered.

"Guess we just gotta find the exit!" Maya cried out cheerfully. Then he heard her singing, "_Enter within and find the truth, behind the reflection's image aloof_..."

_Behind the reflection's image aloof..._

Phoenix sat down on the floor, closed his eyes, and started to think once more about the poem, with Maya's cheerful voice echoing it off the walls.

_Enter within and find the truth behind the reflection's image aloof...well, already entered the place, but the truth behind the reflection's image aloof? What's the next part...seek the door hidden before your adventurous spirit...a hidden door? One that leads to a booth? Sounds just like something to entertain little kids...I don't think the hall was built just for them, though...enter within and find the truth...the reflection's aloof image...hidden door...a booth...a booth?...WAIT! THAT'S IT!_

Phoenix suddenly opened his eyes, stood up, and shouted, "I'VE GOT IT! MAYA, I THINK I'VE -"

BAM!

Phoenix was sent flying into the floor face first, comedically sliding into one of the mirrors on the other side. Once again disoriented, Phoenix slowly got up and massaged his poor face as he turned to look at whatever knocked him down, only to find Maya seated on the floor rubbing her bottom.

"I guess you found me," Phoenix said.

"Just a little," Maya replied.

The two took a moment to settle down after the suddenness of their literal run-in. Then Maya asked, "So Nick, you mentioned you've got it?"

"I think so," Phoenix replied. "That poem is the answer."

"The answer?" Maya asked.

"It _is_ how we find the owner," Phoenix continued. "The poem could be working on two different levels. I only thought of the obvious because of the attraction itself, but the second involves a hidden door."

"Whoa, wait, I was just kidding about that whole 'the poem is the answer' thing," Maya said. "That only happens in TV show dramas and movies."

"But it's true!" Phoenix explained. "Think: enter within and find the truth - or the secret, located behind the reflection's image aloof. Seek the door hidden before your adventurous spirit, seeking the booth - or an office."

"I still don't get it," Maya said.

"All we have to do is find a mirror different from the others," Phoenix explained.

"Different how?"

"Different in the way it reflects us. Maybe as opposed to reflecting us normally, if we looked into it, our image would be distorted so as to appear 'aloof'."

Maya thought about this for a moment. Phoenix, thinking back on what he just said, thought a bit about how unnaturally excited he was about his insight. Maybe even just enough to be called "crazy" or something. Finally, Maya nodded and said, "Alright, let's get cracking!"

Phoenix smiled and nodded, knowing this was Maya's way of approving a crazy idea of any kind. The two got up and began to look into all of the mirrors about the hall. The more they looked at the mirrors, though, the more disoriented they became from the rest of the hall. After several minutes of simply wandering about the mirrors, the two stopped once again.

"Hey, doesn't that mirror look familiar to you?" Maya asked, pointing towards one.

"Maya, they _all_ look familiar to me," Phoenix answered, frustrated. "Why can't we find it?"

"I don't even know where we are in here anymore," Maya sighed. "I'd be happy enough to get out of here."

"So would I," Phoenix sighed, sitting against a mirror. "I can't think of what to do or where to go like this."

The two sat in silence. Phoenix closed his eyes once again to try and go over what he thought.

_Okay, okay, calm down. I don't think I was wrong. There must be a hidden door, the poem said so itself. Or maybe I'm being paranoid and imagining a hidden door? If that's so, then I guess I've just screwed us both over now that we don't know where we are in this place. We could be stuck in here for a while. Hopefully not days...oh man. If we were stuck for days...Ellie...I need to get out of here with Maya before the end of today, for sure. Maybe the office is at the end of the maze? But then where's the end? I hope Maya knows something about this. She did just go wandering about...what is that noise? Some kind of...crunching?_

Phoenix opened his eyes and looked at Maya, who now held a bag of peanuts in her hand. For a moment, he could only stare. Maya noticed this and stared back, ceasing her munching.

"...Maya?" Phoenix asked. "Where did you get those peanuts?"

Maya shrugged her shoulders and replied, "Just found an unopened bag of peanuts while I was wandering around."

Phoenix continued to stare at Maya unceasingly. Maya simply cradled the peanuts as though they were an infant child and turned to Phoenix again. "Whatcha thinking, Nick?" she asked.

"...I think I can get us out of here."

Before Maya could defend the peanuts, Phoenix grabbed the bag out of her hands and looked inside of it. _Good,_ he thought, _they still have shells_. He then grabbed a peanut, broke off the shell, ate the nuts, and then placed the shell on the floor.

"You know you shouldn't be littering, especially not in the Hall of Mirrors," Maya said, observing Phoenix's actions.

Phoenix turned to Maya and explained, "This is how we'll be able to know if we've been in this part before or not. Since we haven't found the one mirror yet, we'll be able to at least know where we've been."

"Interesting," Maya said, "but won't the mirrors reflect the shells on the other mirrors?"

"Not necessarily," Phoenix noted, indicating the bottom of the mirrors. "These are raised a little bit off the ground, just enough for the shells to not be reflected. Besides, the shells will be in the middle of the pathway, so we should be able to discern them from any reflections that may appear."

"Gee, Nick, you have some good ideas sometimes, don't you?" Maya commented as she stood up.

_What do you mean, "sometimes"? I have good ideas a lot!_

In any case, Phoenix began to walk once more through the Hall of Mirrors, munching away at peanuts with Maya and tossing the shells on the floor with little for their placement so long as they were towards the middle. When they circled about to the first shell left on the ground, they continued along a new path and eventually continued until they found themselves in front of a particular mirror within the hall that lead towards the exit, the light of day still shining through.

This mirror was the one mirror the two had sought, one that distorted their image unlike the other mirrors within the hall. This mirror, as opposed to simply reflecting them, showed them as caricatures of themselves, blobby and meshy with no real form or still image. The undulating images of the duo, while nauseating to gaze at for too long a time, gave away the clue of they sought. Phoenix reached out towards the mirror and pushed on it.

And sure enough, the mirror moved inward on hinges like a door, revealing a dimly lit room with a solitary gentleman seated at a desk, scribbling away amidst lamplight. The man was mumbling something inaudible to the duo behind him. Nearby was a set of screens, showing different parts of the Hall of Mirrors, now littered with peanut shells.

_Which reminds me,_ Phoenix remembered, and he grasped the now-empty bag of peanuts and tossed it into his Court Record absent-mindedly.

**Empty Peanut Bag added to Court Record.**

Somehow this alerted the man at the desk to their presence. He sat up, alert and vigilant to anything that might be around. For a moment, neither Maya nor Phoenix moved an inch, breathing silently as the man slowly scanned the area around him until his body faced the two right at the entryway.

"...guests?" came the slight squealing whistle from the man's lips. "...I have...guests?"

A good long pause followed this, with Phoenix and Maya looking at the man before them. He wore a traditional ringmaster's uniform, with the red long-tailed jacket and black pants all the way to his shoes such that in the light he appeared to have nothing below the waist. He wore a walrus mustache, and his balding head was accompanied by grey curly hair surrounding it above his ears. A top hat lay upon the desk behind him, and he looked intently at the duo with what appeared to be empty eyes. Then suddenly, he reached across the desk to what must have been the wall, flicked at something, and a radiant white light filled the room. Phoenix and Maya shielded their eyes against the light and allowed for them to readjust before looking back at the man before them, now much clearer than before.

"...guests? They have importance," the man said in a deeper voice than before. "I am believing in your arrival for purposeful reasonings, yes?"

_...this place can't possibly get any weirder, could it?_ Phoenix thought. "Uh, yeah. We were looking for the owner of the carnival and were told he might be here."

"Might? Might? Here be the carnival's owner? Here might be the carnival's owner? Might the carnival's owner be here?" the man rambled for a moment. "Perhaps the carnival's owner be here, maybe? Might the, perhaps, here, maybe the carnival's owner be? The carnival's owner might, perhaps, here be, maybe? Might the, perhaps, owner be carnival's, maybe, here? Might? Maybe? Perhaps? Me? You? Who? Owner?..."

The man looked down at the floor and fell into a thoughtful silence. Phoenix, giving a look of incredible disbelief, simply stared, Maya at his side in a similar position.

"This guy's a bit of a loon, isn't he?" she asked.

The man's head popped up once more and cried out, "IT IS! I IS IT! THE OWNER OF THE CARNIVAL WHO IS ME IS I!"

Taken aback by the man's renewed enthusiasm, Phoenix and Maya quickly stepped back as the man hopped up out of his chair, spread his arms out wide and cried out, "Ladies and gentlemen! Tonight, we here at Pidisque Carnival would like to welcome you to our highly-acclaimed, truly spectacular, spotlight-grabbing, attention-arresting, grand epic and highlight of your night, the Greatest Show on Earth!"

The man twirled about, laughing in the most maniacal way possible! Phoenix, unable to do anything, could only watch the most insane person he'd ever met perform his crazy routine in front of his eyes. Maya stood stunned at his sides, freaked out over the man's sudden action.

"Viola koala voila! The timing of our talking is upon us all! The talking of our timing upon us is all! Upon us is our timing of all the talking!" the man continued, jumping ecstatically about as he reached out for his top hat and a black cane leaning against the wall. "You! You two! The two of you! Of the two, you! You the two of! My believing of your existing is the chatting succeeding the ending or beginning of investigating within the killing of a single man, a dear friend, a fellow compatriot, a marvelous comrade, a beloved fellow. I have interest! More telling me please!"

_...how am I supposed to _talk_ to this_ _guy?_

"Uh...hello. I am Phoenix Wright," he began. "And this is Maya, my assistant. I'm a defense attorney."

"Exquisitely diamond," the man replied, holding out his hand. "Dahnjent Pidisque, master of rings and owner of carnivals!"

_I think I'm going to lose my mind before this case closes,_ Phoenix thought, reluctantly shaking the charming and enthusiastic gentleman's grasp.

"Now, for the explaining of your appearing, how am I serving you today?" Dahnjent continued.

"Um...yes," Phoenix began, "we were wondering about...you?"

"The wonderful wonderment that shinefully flawlesses like a diamonized crystal between mirrors under the sun, Dahnjent Pidisque," he replied. "That am I, I am that, Am that I, That I am!"

"And you're the founder of the carnival, right?" Maya asked curiously.

"The creator originator of this fun-loving carnival bonanza who is I appreciates this curiosity from your mind," Dahnjent replied. "I am the founding owner, who whilst seeking the ever-elusive snipe that lacks existing capability, I came across the first of my friends who now work within the realms of my established universality upon a journey to a strange planet, where elephants danced about, people could cycle across invisible strings, and wizards exist!"

"I think he's referring to a circus," Phoenix murmured to Maya, who nodded knowingly. _Go __figure, and now I can't stop thinking about _that _circus_.

"Ah, those are the days of my youngful youth," Dahnjent continued. "And there's not a day walking my way and beyond when I think not of such days."

"I'm sure they were wonderful," Maya mused.

Dahnjent smiled a curious smile at this statement. "Wonderful is just the understatement to emphasize, enlarge, gigantify my visions," he replied.

"Who was your first act, anyway?" Maya asked. _Apparently she's on a roll..._

"Ah, but of course! Of but ah course! My first act, my numero uno, my primordial star, my finest philanthropist!" Dahnjent began once more. "Why none other than my charming Ethelinda!"

"Wait...Ethelinda was your first act?" Phoenix asked, astonished at this revelation.

"Why yes! How else could you have figured out the riddle of my mirrors and found my illusory elusive door?" Dahnjent replied.

_Of course, she has a relationship of some sort with the owner...wait, could that mean?_

"So, you and Ethelinda are..." Phoenix wasn't really sure how to finish off that sentence.

"A couple? Lovers? Woo-ers? Charmers? In love? Madly together? Bound in each others arms?" Dahnjent quickly queried.

"Well...sure..."

"Nope! Just friendly goods, that's all!" Dahnjent replied. "But! She is my most trusted friend, being the one around since the beginning of the beginning of the beginning! The start of the start of the start! The first of the first of the first!"

"Yes...I see..." _How can anyone _possibly_ be this mad?_ "Well, if it's not too much, what about the murder?"

"Ah yes, a very good friend of mine died that day," Dahnjent said. "Riding the stallion to the end of days. His end of days, at least."

"He was a good friend of yours?" Phoenix asked.

"But of course! And of course! Or, of course!" Dahnjent replied. "Sir Cameron Fearanst was one of my finest people, and one of the finest people I knew. He was better than anyone at what he did, and there wasn't much anyone could do about it."

"I suppose you mean the gambling," Phoenix said, reminded of that one detail from what Gumshoe told him about-

"Nope."

"...no? But he was your friend, right?"

"Again, of course!" Dahnjent said. "But you see, he was my friend, and my friend was an accountant, and that night - mind you, no coincidence, sleight of hand, magical doves trick here - I lost a friend _and_ an accountant."

"You mean...Sir Cameron Fearanst...was an accountant?"

"Yes." Dahnjent explained. "Cameron helped out with all of the financial aspects of the job, whether it was from expenses of standardical medicines to supplitory concessions to pricey tickets! He did everything of the carnival, by the carnival, _for_ the carnival!"

"Yeah, Nick!" Maya chimed. "Don't you remember from this morning? That's what Ellie and Olivia told us!"

_Wow, I actually forgot about that...I think I'm starting to get the bigger picture here,_ Phoenix thought, pulling out a profiles of Sir Cameron and Ethelinda from the Court Record. "I don't know if Ethelinda told you she knew-"

"Oh, she knew because I told her, don't you know," Dahnjent replied. "I suppose you plan to ask something in particular? A particular something I suppose you plan to ask? You plan to suppose a something particular ask?"

"Yes. According to Ethelinda," Phoenix continued, "Sir Cameron had a problem that was bugging him for a while. She wouldn't go into detail about it, either because she didn't know or because she didn't want to say anything. But you know about it, don't you?"

And for the first time since they got there, Dahnjent remained stern and silent. A pin could have been dropped and made a noise in all of the time that passed in silence. Finally, Dahnjent retreated to his desk, shuffled through a couple of drawers, then pulled something out and returned to Phoenix.

"Here is the seeking object you need," he said, handing Phoenix a small piece of paper. Perusing it, Phoenix saw it was a letter for debt involving a casino of some kind.

**Casino Letter added to Court Record.**

_I think I've got everything I need to crack those locks,_ Phoenix thought. "Thank you, Dahnjent."

"Mention not of what done I've good," Dahnjent replied with a smile, heading back towards his desk. "Instead dwell upon the good yet done I have."

And with that, the owner turned back to writing, the lights dimming back to the low lighting of before, a man and his writing desk.

* * *

COURT RECORD

Profiles  
Sir Cameron Fearanst - the victim, found dead on the back of a white stallion. A professional gambler, he frequently plays on the roulette wheel.  
Ellie Ipssiss Fearanst - the defendant, 15-year old daughter of the victim. She plays off being innocent well.  
Olivia Vale Fearanst - the victim's wife. She was the one who sought my help for the case against her daughter.  
ARC - the initials left at the crime scene. Whoever this is, they might be the only other suspect besides Elly.  
Ron D. Globus - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Buoyant Boy" for his ability to stay above water...and for his size.  
Ethelinda Nejem - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Snake Lady" due to her appearance.  
Dahnjent Pidisque - owner and ringmaster of the famous Pidisque Carnival, and an eccentric possibly insane fellow. A good friend of Sir Cameron's.

Evidence  
Attorney Badge - I keep this with me as proof that I'm an attorney. It only does so much for me.  
Magatama - A mystical tool that allows me to look into people's hearts and break the locks that keep them from telling the whole truth.  
Autopsy Report - Victim was stabbed in the back. Death was near instantaneous due to spinal shock.  
Carnival Map - A map of the carnival made by ARC. It's an accurate rendering of the layout.  
Loose Tile - A tile hanging by a hinge from the carousel's big top over the crime scene. Curious little thing.  
Initials - "ARC", left on a unicorn on the carousel. Could be another suspect in the murder case.  
Empty Peanut Bag - the bag was found unopened in the Hall of Mirrors. Kinda ate all the peanuts.  
Casino Letter – A letter from a casino regarding a large sum of money owed by Sir Cameron.

* * *

First off, I am excited to hear about all the wonderful comments towards my story. It hasn't even been a month, and it already has over 200 views! Not to mention all the positive reviews have me ecstatic!

Ecstatic, like the owner here.

Dahnjent Pidisque wasn't at first going to be the crazed-up froot loop he is today. In fact, I originally had thought of putting in a more serious light, with dark undertones and a walrus mustache (which has persisted through to today's Dahnjent). But the leader of a carnival, a fantastic man with a vast imagination, secluded in a room? Well, maybe he's not as serious as he appears to be...more like he's freaking insane! I thought of doing pure Engrish for the dialogue, but somehow mixing up sentences to still make them say the same thing in a different order...that was way more fun to do!

Dahnjent Pidisque's name is a stretch (I don't have to explain the last name again, I hope, but Dahnjent is a different pronunciation of "tangent"). Still, he was in the original cast of circular-punny characters, and to see how he turned out is wonderful.

And now, it's time to break those Psyche-Locks! Ethelinda may be hiding a secret, but it's nothing Phoenix can't tackle! But sometimes it's not the breaking of locks that hurt the most, but the truth they guarded.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Investigation I Part D

May 5  
Pidisque Carnival  
Hall of Freaks

As Phoenix and Maya approached the Hall of Freaks, he looked back into his Court Record at all the profiles and all the evidence he had compiled. He knew that the moment he got to where he was going, he would need all the help he could get.

Approaching the Hall of Freaks once more, Phoenix kept a close eye on his surroundings. Maya simply looked about, asking, "So I guess we're back to question the Snake Lady?"

"That's right," Phoenix replied. "Thanks to Dahnjent, I should be able to break through those Psyche-Locks she has."

"I wonder why she wanted to keep it so secretive though?" Maya wondered. "I mean, with this letter, it's so obvious."

_Yeah, she's right...but then what's the one truth that isn't obvious? What could she still hide?_

At the end of that thought, Ethelinda came out from behind the tent flap of the Hall of Freaks. "Greetings once more, Mr. Wright," she said. "I expected as much for you to return."

"Only because I have unfinished business here," Phoenix replied.

Ethelinda simply nodded. "I understand," she said. "Ask what you will."

At this point, Phoenix reached into his pocket and pulled out the Magatama. Maya's eyes grew wide and gleamed with excitement; Ethelinda's eyes gleamed with interest as she gazed at it with narrowed eyes.

"And what might this be?" Ethelinda asked curiously.

"This is just a little something to help me out in times such as this," Phoenix replied. "After all, you still haven't told me about Sir Cameron's dilemma."

The area became dark, and the two locks appeared once more in front of Ethelinda. She simply smiled, gazing with keen interest at the Magatama.

"I believe I mentioned that I don't know much about it," she continued. "There wasn't much to know then and not much to know now."

"Maybe," Phoenix said. "And then again...maybe not."

"Oh?" Ethelinda asked. "And pray tell me what you have discovered in our short time apart regarding the sssituation?"

_Alright, then_, Phoenix thought. _Time for our first piece. I have to show her something that's tied directly to Sir Cameron's dilemma. Easy enough._

"Ethelinda," Phoenix said, bringing out his Court Record. "I believe there is only one piece of evidence that preaches the story of Sir Cameron. Tell me, have you seen this before?"

Phoenix pulled out the Casino Letter and showed it to Ethelinda. She looked upon it with some interest.

"Not before," she replied. "It appears to be a letter."

"That's right," Phoenix said. "Specifically, it's a letter from a casino regarding a large amount of money that Sir Cameron owed them. In other words, Sir Cameron was in debt!"

Phoenix paused for a moment, expecting the shattering of one of the locks. However, nothing happened. Ethelinda simply smiled as Phoenix's face turned from one of triumph to one of confusion.

"Perhaps," she said. "But why would he owe a casino so much?"

_Why would Sir Cameron...owe the casino money?_

"Well, the answer's pretty obvious when you think about Sir Cameron's occupation," Phoenix said.

"And what was he, Mr. Wright?" Ethelinda continued. "What was Sir Cameron's occupation?"

_Okay, so now I need to prove his occupation...this can't be so easy, could it?_

Phoenix pulled out the profile of Sir Cameron Fearanst. "Sir Cameron Fearanst was not more than a simple accountant," he said. "But it seems that he also held another position. This particular occupation is that of a professional gambler, particularly that of the roulettes."

"I see," Ethelinda said with some interest. "Perhaps there's something connecting the two?"

"Of course," Phoenix continued. "The reason that Sir Cameron owes any money towards the casino at all is because he must have gained so much in his winnings that they wish him to pay compensation, which seems highly unlikely in light of the other option: he ran out of money and began betting on what he didn't have."

Ethelinda simply looked back at Phoenix. "You do know how a casino works, yes Mr. Wright?" she asked. "They don't simply let you pay for chips with just anything. You need to have the money first before you can even get the chips."

Phoenix seemed a little taken aback, but on consideration he realized she was right. _Of course, there's no way they'd go with cartoony antics like betting the deed of someone's house on a gamble...which means..._

"Perhaps then, he didn't lose his money...but being a good gambler, maybe he didn't bet more than he could...so then, he must have gained money...but then he took so much that he didn't give it back when asked for compensation?" Phoenix thought aloud.

"You don't have much certainty in the thought," Ethelinda noted, smiling as calm as ever.

_I wonder why...wait...the only reason someone wouldn't give money back...no, he wouldn't have, would he?_

"You don't mean...Sir Cameron didn't receive the letter because he owed money...but because...HE STOLE IT!"

And so the great shattering of the first Psyche-Lock came to pass. Even so, Phoenix couldn't help but be taken aback by the thoughts that got him to this point. Maya too was unsure about what to make of this. Ethelinda, however, continued to simply smile.

"Yes, Mr. Wright," she said. "What a surprise, isn't it? To think the great professional gambler was reduced to robbery of a casino. What innocence is there left in the man?"

"Wait a minute!" Phoenix said. "How could you even know about this? What does this have to do with you?"

"You seem distressed," Ethelinda cooed. "Perhaps you need a minute?"

_No, no, it's all right here...isn't it?_

"Maybe you should take a break and give it some thought," Ethelinda said. "After all, breaking secrets is never an easy thing to rush into."

_Maybe she's right...no...no, that can't be. She knows about this, and so it must concern her. But then who connects her to Sir Cameron Fearanst?_

For a moment, Phoenix thought about this, absentmindedly shuffling through the Court Record as he did. Then, his eyes drifted down to a particular profile that his fingers came across in the record. And then...

_...that's it!_

"Ethelinda," Phoenix said. "There's only one way - or rather one person - that connects you to Sir Cameron Fearanst. The reason you know about him and his hassle with the casino is..."

Phoenix presented Ethelinda with the profile in the record. Ethelinda gazed at the profile.

"...the owner?" she asked, puzzled.

"I know you don't know Sir Cameron Fearanst very well," Phoenix explained. "In fact, you may not have even known who he was before today. However, that would be a lie to say you didn't know him. As I said before, Sir Cameron was an accountant with a gambling addiction. But I never mentioned how I knew he was an accountant...or for whom he worked for."

For the first time, Ethelinda showed a bit of surprise at this. "Yes...go on."

"Ethelinda," Phoenix continued. "The only way you know who Sir Cameron Fearanst is at all is because he's the accountant of your boss and good friend: Dahnjent Pidisque!"

The other Psyche-Lock finally shattered into pieces! With the Psyche-Locks gone, the chains unraveled themselves, and the darkness shifted back into the area outside the Hall of Freaks.

**UNLOCK COMPLETE**

"Very perceptive, Mr. Wright," Ethelinda said, her face slowly growing back into a smile. "I see no reason to hide anything else from you."

"Then please," Phoenix said, a hint of a smile on his own face, "tell me about Sir Cameron's dilemma."

Ethelinda nodded and began:

"It all began about three weeks back. We were in another town at that point, working out on the usual routine. Sir Cameron was helping with the finances, I worked in the Hall of Freaks, and Dahnjent simply ran the carnival. But one day, Sir Cameron came in asking Dahnjent for some help.

"Apparently, Sir Cameron's skills caught up with him, as he had once again won a large sum of money to spend about on his gambling whims. But this time, he didn't just win a lot of money. He came into the office while I was having a conversation with Dahnjent, demanding that we got out as soon as possible. When he was asked why, he simply said that he had, 'bitten off more than he could chew,' with his latest round.

"Dahnjent wanted to protect his friend, but he also knew that what he did was wrong. I didn't know what to make of it. But before any of us could decide on anything, a gang of thugs came in, captured all three of us, and knocked us out. I don't remember much before I woke up.

"When I woke up, we were in a basement of some kind. I was out of costume, and Dahnjent was beside me. Our hands were shackled to pipes running along the ceiling, and we simply hung there. We heard noises, terrible screams from nearby, and then silence. Later, the thugs came back with Sir Cameron, a terrible circle carved into his blood-coated face. I'll never forget that face.

"We were forced to pay them what they wanted, and even then we each suffered a little for it. But Sir Cameron had the worst. He would avoid certain casinos related to the one that robbed him of his good looks, and he worked on getting the fortune back little by little. Dahnjent gave him support - some of his own earnings - for his gambling, while at the same time I gave him a special ointment I use for my skin at times to help him cope with his scar.

"His wife was furious with us. I can't really blame her, but somehow we managed to keep Sir Cameron with us and her off our backs. But he's never forgotten that day...and neither have I..."

Ethelinda had finished her story with a small bow of her head. Phoenix and Maya looked at each other, absorbing all of this story, and then looked back to her.

"I...I'm so sorry," Phoenix said.

"It is fine," Ethelinda said. "I need no sympathy for what happened some time ago. After all, I have something more relevant to the case at hand."

_More relevant...to the case?_ "What do you mean by that, exactly?"

"I do believe that I forgot to mention something before," Ethelinda explained, "although you never asked either. You see, that night the Hall of Freaks had a show going on, and at one point we took a fifteen-minute break."

"A fifteen minute break?" Phoenix asked, curious as to where this might lead.

"Yes," Ethelinda replied. "It's our scheduled intermission. We have one for each of our shows. The show starts at 7:00, goes for an hour, breaks for intermission, and then finishes up before 9:00."

_This...seems important for some reason..._

"Nick! Hey Nick!"

Phoenix jumped for a moment, his thoughts too lost in this line of thinking to notice Maya was still right beside him, only a bit too close for comfort.

"Nick! Don't you remember from before?" Maya said.

_Remember what? My issue with you being too close to me, or...or...wait a minute, she's right!_

"Thanks again, Ethelinda!" Phoenix suddenly blurted out before trucking it out of there. Maya, surprised by Phoenix's sudden outburst, turned to Ethelinda, smiled, bowed, and then quickly ran after him, leaving Ethelinda back at the Hall of Freaks once more.

May 5  
Pidisque Carnival  
Trailer Park

Phoenix ran into the park and looked about quickly.

_Where is that little-_

Phoenix thoughts were interrupted once again by Maya, who crashed into him once more. The duo collapsed once more upon the ground, lying sprawled out in the center of the trailer park. Not long after this, a familiar face hopped back into view. And out of it. And back into it repeatedly as Phoenix got up off the ground.

"Yousa people thinking yousa falling to the ground?" Ron asked, bouncing about.

Phoenix finally managed to stand up and simply glared for a moment at Ron as the boy-man-ball-guy bounced before remembering to keep his cool. "Ron," he said, "there's something I need to ask you about the night of the murder."

"Okey-dokey-artichokey," Ron replied, "but mesa don't know how mesa can help."

"Ron...we know that there was a break during the show at the Hall of Freaks," Phoenix continued. "It lasted fifteen minutes and happens to fall within a two hour time frame."

Ron's smile quickly faded away as he realized what Phoenix was getting at. His voice dipped down as he said, "What about it? I already told you I didn't leave the Hall."

"Yeah? Well I have reason to suspect otherwise," Phoenix retorted. "Where were on yesterday on the night of the fourth of May?"

Bam! Unraveling chains surrounded the midget and locked away by two Psyche-Locks.

_Again? Figures he wouldn't come along quietly._

"I told you, I don't know nothing!" Ron squeaked.

_We'll see about that,_ Phoenix thought, reaching into his pocket for the Magatama and presenting it, revealing the Psyche-Locks once again. Ron looked at the Magatama and suddenly his eyes glowed with curiosity and a hint of panic.

"Wh-wh-what's that for?" he asked.

"Ron," Phoenix said. "I know you're trying to hide something from me. This jewel can help me with getting past the security you build."

Ron nervously tugged his collar. "Oh, r-really? Cause there's no way you've got any idea to the c-c-contrary of what I've said!"

"That's right," Phoenix continued. "You told me earlier that you didn't leave the Hall of Freaks once. But you see, I know about the performance of that night. It starts at seven, breaks for intermission, and wraps up by nine."

"Yeah, that's right. So what?"

"Think, Ron. The show takes about fifteen minutes for intermission."

"...!"

"Meaning that you could have easily traveled to just about anywhere in the carnival and do almost anything you wanted."

"...wait! Wait just a minute!" Ron started to become aggressive. "Who told you about that intermission? I want a name!"

_He wants a name, huh? Well alright. Time to tell him the name of the person who told me about that little break._

Phoenix reached into the Court Record and pulled out a profile picture. "You want a name, huh? I'll give you a name!"

"Yes, tell me! A company secret's been revealed, and I want the person responsible to answer for their actions!" Ron bellowed deeply.

"The person who revealed that information...was Ethelinda."

Ron took a breath as though to chew out the person whosever name was said, but at the sound of her name, he simply stood there, his mouth agape in shock and awe. One of the Psyche-Locks shattered.

_Too easy._

"I...I...I can't believe...why would she..."

Ron seemed to be struck dumb by this revelation, a moment Phoenix decided to take advantage of to turn up the heat.

"Yes, Ethelinda, your coworker, the Snake Lady," Phoenix stated. "Though it may be against policy, this information is vital to the case at hand. This takes apart your alibi from before and makes it possible for you to be a suspect. To reveal company secrets is one thing; but to lie about your whereabouts in the midst of a murder investigation is a world of trouble waiting to happen!"

"Okay, okay, fine," Ron finally grumbled back. "I get it, you've proven that I took a break. Big deal! You've still got no proof of where I've been!"

_Where he's been?_

Phoenix hadn't thought of it before. Ron may have lied about not leaving the Hall of Freaks, but the break proved nothing for or against it. He took a break for fifteen minutes just like the rest of the Hall that day. He didn't have to leave for any reason.

_...or did he?_

"So yeah," Ron snapped. "You've got nothing on me! There's not a shred of proof just lying around for you to pick up and rub in my face!"

_...nothing...lying around...!_

"...actually," Phoenix said, "there is one thing."

Ron took a step back, surprised. "What? What do you mean? What could possibly tip you off to anything I've done?"

_Alright...time to prove it! Time to show Ron what he left behind..._

Phoenix rummaged about in his Court Record for a bit, looking for the evidence he needed. He checked on all of what was in there, but suddenly he wasn't sure if he had it.

_Evidence of what Ron left behind to show he ventured out of the Hall of Freaks...what could it be? The letter? No, Dahnjent had that in his safe. Maybe that loose tile? Well, if he was more of a mechanic maybe, not including that he doesn't run the carousel anyway. What could it...be?_

Phoenix looked at the evidence in his hand for a moment. Then he slowly smiled and turned back to Ron.

"Tell me, Ron," Phoenix asked, "do you ever get tired during your routine?"

Ron blinked a couple of times, looking back at Phoenix with some confusion. "Uh, sure, sometimes," he answered.

"Tired enough to go out and get something?"

"...what're you suggesting?"

"I think you had a reason to leave the Hall of Freaks," Phoenix said. "Being a performer is a tough job. Sometimes you've gotta be strong, sometimes you've gotta be flexible. But the one thing a performer can't go without."

Phoenix raised the evidence up to show Ron.

"Energy."

Ron looked dumbfounded, staring into Phoenix's hand - hard enough to look through it - right where sat an empty bag. An empty bag for peanuts.

"...you mean..."

"Yes," Phoenix explained. "There is a reason you left the Hall of Freaks that night - you were hungry. You left during the break to go to the food stand and buy a bag of peanuts to eat. The problem is, you never opened this bag. When I found it, the bag -"

"Hey!"

Phoenix jumped and winced, turning to Maya who he had just remembered was standing by his side.

"I'm the one who found that!" Maya continued. "Give credit where credit's due, Nick!"

_Right in the middle of my..._

Phoenix sighed, shook his head, and turned back to Ron who seemed to smirk at this break in the ice.

"Listen," Phoenix addressed. "When Maya found this bag, it was unopened and filled with peanuts. That means you've got some explaining to do."

Unfortunately, with the loss of momentum, Ron seemed to recover a bit. The lone Psyche-Lock remained.

"Okay," Ron said. "I see where you're going with this. You're suggesting I went across the carnival, got a bag of peanuts, and didn't bother to eat them? And why's that?"

"There's only one thing that could stop you from eating away at these peanuts," Phoenix replied. _And I think I know what it is._

"Alright then," Ron asked. "Tell me: what stopped me from eating those peanuts, and what proof is there for that?"

Phoenix didn't even have to think about what could stop anyone from eating a bag of peanuts when they're hungry. "The one thing that could stop you from eating those peanuts is something truly shocking," Phoenix said, looking into his Court Record. "And this will prove it!"

Phoenix pulled out the evidence and presented it to Ron. In response, Ron looked over the evidence.

"...a map?" he asked.

"Don't worry if you don't get it," Phoenix smiled. "Take a look! According to another coworker, this map is an accurate representation of the current layout of the carnival."

Phoenix spread the map out so that Ron could see clearly. "Here," Phoenix continued, pointing towards one circle, "is the Hall of Freaks. And here," he pointed to a smaller rectangle, "is the stand that sells the food. In order to get there," Phoenix began to trace a path, "you need to go from the Hall of Freaks, pass by the Hall of Mirrors, and..."

Suddenly Ron gasped. "The carousel!" he yelped. "It's right there!"

"That's right," Phoenix explained. "That night, you were hungry, went to the food stand, bought the peanuts, and on the way back you saw the one thing that made you not only lose your appetite but also your peanuts: you witnessed the murder!"

Ron yelped as the last Psyche-Lock shattered into oblivion! The chains dissolved once again as the darkness disappeared illuminating the world once more with color.

**UNLOCK COMPLETE**

"Alright, alright!" Ron squealed. "I'll talk! I'll talk!"

"Please," Phoenix said, a bit worried for Ron, "please, it's okay. Just take a breath, calm down, and tell us what happened."

Ron looked at Phoenix and breathed rapidly, his chest inflating and deflating. Finally, he swallowed a bit, sucked an enormous amount of air and growing a bit as a result, and then released it slowly. This managed to soothe him long enough for him to get himself straightened out.

"Alright," Ron said in what was a normal voice, "I'll talk:

"Yes, it's true. We perform the show starting at seven and then break for about fifteen minutes for the intermission. I did a heck of a lot in that first part, so I decided to grab me a snack. And what could be better than peanuts, right? Unfortunately, we placed the cart further away from the Hall than usual, so it was a bit of a walk.

"On my way, I saw Sir Cameron walking about with his daughter. Cute kid, good looks. Can't complain. Anyway, they pass by as I head to the stand on their way to the merry-go-round. I prefer that to carousel just cause it sounds more fun, but eh, personal preference I suppose.

"After I got my peanuts, I went back the way I came when I saw him - Sir Cameron. He was hunched over one of the seats, blood pooling about him, a knife sunk in his back! I panicked! Who knows, the murderer could've gone after me! I ran into the Hall of Mirrors and got lost in there for a bit before I made it back to the Hall of Freaks - just in the nick of time for the show! I guessed I dropped my peanuts on the way through."

Ron finished with his head drooping, his eyes focused on the ground. Phoenix and Maya looked at each other once more and nodded. Phoenix reached out and clutched Ron's shoulder.

"Listen, no hard feelings about earlier," Phoenix said. "As long as we get to the truth, we'll be able to get through these tough times."

"...yeah...I ain't real worried about youse guys," Ron replied. "I'm worried about her."

_Ellie..._

"Her father was murdered right in front of her. There's nothing more tragic than watching someone you love die in front of you," Ron continued. "It just ain't fair for her."

"Listen," Phoenix said, "don't worry about her. I'll be taking care of her in court."

Ron looked up and directly into Phoenix's eyes. "You better," he said, "because I'll be there too."

And with that, Ron walked away towards his trailer. Phoenix stood up and looked to Maya.

"You think we're ready for tomorrow?" Maya asked.

"Just one more thing to take care of," Phoenix replied. "Come on."

And so Phoenix headed off the carnival grounds with Maya once again on his heels, a determined stride in his step and his face glowing with confidence.

May 5, 5:00 P.M.  
Detention Center  
Visitor's Center

"Oh there you are!"

Phoenix walked into the detention center once again, immediately approached by Olivia.

"So how was your trip?" she asked sarcastically. "Good enough for you? Delaying your results for the day so that you can finally do your job?"

_You're lucky I'm doing this at all,_ Phoenix thought to himself, desperately wanting to tell her off, but instead choosing to say, "I need to see your daughter."

"I would hope so," Olivia replied. "Visiting hours are going to be up soon. I should know, I've got a schedule."

The trio headed towards a table with a window and a speaker. Phoenix sat down once more in the ever-familiar seat while Maya stood by him and Olivia leaned up once more upon the wall.

"One coming in!"

And just like that, Ellie was back in front of Phoenix.

"Hello, Mr. Wright," she greeted. She looked to be a bit tired.

_Who knew detention would get to her so easily?_ "Ellie, there's something I need to ask you about your father. Would you mind telling me what he did?"

The Psyche-Lock, ever familiar, always accompanied by chains, appeared once more in front of Ellie. "I already told you he was an accountant," she replied. "What more do you want?"

_To get rid of this lock._

Phoenix pulled out the Magatama and once again entered the realm of darkness where the Psyche-Lock became visible.

"Ellie," Phoenix began, "in all my time at the carnival, I've learned a lot about your father. I know he had his troubles, and I know he worked with Dahnjent himself."

"Yes," Ellie replied, "that's true. Impressive work, Mr. Wright."

"Yeah," Phoenix continued. "But you see, there was more that I learned than all of that - something you wanted to hide from me."

Ellie suddenly grew wide-eyed with fear. "You mean..."

"Yes," Phoenix replied. "I know about his other job."

Ellie looked back at where her mother would've been. A voice came through the darkness that seemed to be shouting remarkably loudly: "What's he talking about? Ellie, what's he talking about?"

"Ellie," Phoenix continued, pulling out some evidence from the Court Record. "Your father does more than save money, he spends it, uses it, risks it all. Your father is a gambler."

Ellie looked at the Casino Letter with those wide pools of blue filled with a river of sorrow, which poured out from their caves as the only Psyche-Lock broke apart, the chains disappearing once more.

**UNLOCK SUCCESSFUL**

Silence. Deep, resonating silence.

The room was filled with it. Phoenix looking at Ellie with determination, Maya with confusion, Ellie staring at the Casino Letter with tears pouring down her face.

And then there was Olivia. For once, she made no sound. Just stared at her tearful daughter with shock. Phoenix was certain she would be the first to say something. But no one really seemed willing to start.

_This break...it's a lot harder than the other ones...Ellie knew...but Olivia..._

"...a...a...gambler?"

Olivia finally managed to speak, and even then it was barely audible. Ellie somehow had managed to hear this and nodded in response. Olivia maintained her gaze upon her daughter.

And then-

"...A GAMBLER? YOUR FATHER EARNED THAT MONEY BY GAMBLING?"

Ellie looked up at her mother with shame. "He was doing it for us, Mom," she cried. "He was giving us a better life!"

"BY RISKING IT ALL ON SUCH RECKLESS GAMES? WHAT DID HE PLAY THE MOST, HMM? POKER? CRAPS? THE SLOTS?"

"...roulette..."

"ROULETTE? HE SPUN A BALL AND HOPED LADY LUCK WOULD SMILE UPON HIM?"

_Okay, _this _is what I was expecting...and now she's out of control!_

Fortunately, Olivia stormed out of the Visitor's Center before anything else could be done. The remaining room was silent. Phoenix turned to Ellie, whose head was bent over once more.

"...she didn't know, did she?" Phoenix asked apologetically.

Ellie simply shook her head. "No," she replied, "she didn't."

"...I'm sorry."

Ellie sniffed, wiped away the tears, and said, "No, it's alright. Even though my mom didn't know about it, she'd know sooner or later. I only knew because he told me how himself. I just hope she'll forgive and move on."

_She doesn't really seem the type to "forgive and forget",_ Phoenix thought. "I suppose she asked about that scar on his face when he came home for that?"

Ellie nodded her head and answered, "Yeah. He told me what happened, but he told her that he got caught up in an accident, landed on a perfect circle. I don't think she believed him for a moment, they had a tough relationship after that."

Phoenix looked to Maya, her head hanging down, her arms at her sides. It reminded him of whenever she felt ashamed of something or was murmuring something that she didn't want someone else to hear. Now, she said nothing.

_This case...it's not even the end of the first day, and already people have been hurt,_ Phoenix thought.

He turned back to Ellie, whose head also hung down as she looked away from him. He recognized this moment from numerous encounters with other clients in a similar position. This was the moment where they felt lower than they ever had before, the moment where they lost hope for themselves and their freedom, the moment where they believed there was no light at the end of the tunnel, that there wouldn't be a moment's peace, that no one else believed in them.

This was the moment where, for the first time, they felt alone.

Phoenix knew this moment well, how it felt, what it was like to go through. He was alone once, accused of committing a crime he didn't commit, denied any chance to get out of the pit he was thrown in, taunted, mocked, rejected...

"...Ellie..."

She looked back at Phoenix, her eyes aglow with wonder.

"...I'm gonna do everything I can to get you out of here. That's a promise."

Ellie looked at him now with admiration. She smiled, nodded her head, and responded, "Thank you, Mr. Wright. I'm counting on you!"

_Now let's tie up that one loose end_, Phoenix thought as he too smiled, nodded, and left the Visitor's Center, Maya following him out the doors.

Right there was Olivia, watching the sunset with a hand to her mouth. Phoenix walked up to her, reached out, and patted her shoulder.

"Ms. Fearanst," Phoenix said, "I'm sorry about what happened in there."

"...no, it's alright."

Her response came out so calmly, it took Phoenix a bit by surprise. Olivia turned to him and continued, "Somewhere deep down, I knew I should have known better. He was keeping secrets from me for whatever reason, I've known that for years. He does that. To know that this was just another secret he hid from me isn't surprising."

Phoenix simply stared back at her. Olivia paused for a moment before turning to the sunset. "I know he did it for us. But to know that he was willing to risk so much to get there...it's corruption. Diving into a world of trouble only for the rewards..."

She turned back to Phoenix and stated, "It's what fools do. And he was a fool for doing so. And now I can't do anything except take it all in and cope with it."

Phoenix stood there in silence. Maya looked back and forth between Olivia and Phoenix curiously. Finally Olivia walked up and stood in Phoenix's face and breathed, "Get my daughter out. That's all he would ask for. That's all I could ask for."

And with that, she turned and walked away from the two, leaving them on the doorsteps of the detention center.

_I've got a lot to think about before tomorrow's trial. I got some good info today, but it somehow doesn't seem to be the whole story. Who is the ARC guy that keeps popping up? Why did Ron run after seeing a murdered Sir Cameron Fearanst? How come Olivia didn't know about her husband's gambling? I hope with tomorrow's trial that we get some answers out of all of this._

_

* * *

_

COURT RECORD

Profiles  
Sir Cameron Fearanst - the victim, found dead on the back of a white stallion. A professional gambler, he frequently plays on the roulette wheel.  
Ellie Ipssiss Fearanst - the defendant, 15-year old daughter of the victim. She plays off being innocent well.  
Olivia Vale Fearanst - the victim's wife. She was the one who sought my help for the case against her daughter.  
ARC - the initials left at the crime scene. Whoever this is, they might be the only other suspect besides Elly.  
Ron D. Globus - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Buoyant Boy" for his ability to stay above water...and for his surprisingly youthful appearance!  
Ethelinda Nejem - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Snake Lady" due to her appearance. She's really good at reading people.  
Dahnjent Pidisque - owner and ringmaster of the famous Pidisque Carnival, and an eccentric insane fellow. A good friend of Sir Cameron's.

Evidence  
Attorney Badge - I keep this with me as proof that I'm an attorney. It only does so much for me.  
Magatama - A mystical tool that allows me to look into people's hearts and break the locks that keep them from telling the whole truth.  
Autopsy Report - Victim was stabbed in the back. Death was near instantaneous due to spinal shock.  
Carnival Map - A map of the carnival made by ARC. It's an accurate rendering of the layout.  
Loose Tile - A tile hanging by a hinge from the carousel's big top over the crime scene. Curious little thing.  
Initials - "ARC", left on a unicorn on the carousel. Could be another suspect in the murder case.  
Casino Letter - A letter from a casino regarding a large sum of money owed by Sir Cameron

* * *

Wow...I didn't even expect things to turn out like that...and I wrote the story!

Alright, so Sir Cameron's a thief. Who'da thunk it? Anyway, here's the run-down of the case story as we know it:

Sir Cameron Fearanst went to the Carnival with his daughter, Ellie. They rode the Carousel, where after a brief electric surge, Sir Cameron is found dead, a knife in his back leaving a particularly nasty wound. Ethelinda and Ron were working at the Hall of Freaks, where during the break Ron went to get a bag of peanuts from the stand. He witnesses the murder and runs into the Hall of Mirrors, where he loses the bag of peanuts. Somehow, he makes it back to the Hall of Freaks before the show continues. The show runs between 7 PM and 9 PM with a fifteen-minute intermission for when the murder takes place.

I'll take a short break before updating the next chapter, where Phoenix will go to court to defend Ellie. Who will appear on the stand? What contradictions will Phoenix expose? And the burning question that'll drive everyone crazy: who killed Sir Cameron Fearanst and why?


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Courtroom Introductions

May 6th, 9:44 AM  
District Court  
Defendant Lobby No. 2

Phoenix stood in front of Maya and Olivia, looking at them. Maya was surprised; Olivia looked astonished.

"What do you mean you don't know who the Prosecutor is?" Olivia demanded. "Were you too stupid to look into the matter for my daughter's sake?"

_I didn't hear you do anything about it before,_ Phoenix thought, annoyed at this woman's arrogance despite the day before.

"Well, no matter," Olivia continued, "I hope you have something to bring against whatever the claims of the prosecution may be."

"I have a good idea of what they'll make as their claim," Phoenix said, trying to reassure Olivia. "Aside from claiming Ellie murdered her father, they'll need to prove she was the one holding the knife. I only need to prove otherwise."

"It sounds so simple when you put it that way," Maya said impressed.

Olivia, on the other hand, remained firm in her aggression. "Congratulations, you know one thing about the prosecution," she said, "and it happens to be the one thing anyone looking at the case would see as clear as day."

_Funny, seeing as it's the one thing nobody knows today,_ Phoenix thought, if only to make his own personal rebuttal against Olivia's lack of joy. _If I didn't know any better, I'd say she'd killed him._

"Don't worry, Ms. Fearanst," Maya said. "Nick here's the best in his field. He'll have this case all wrapped up in a bow in no time!"

At that moment, Ellie showed up escorted by a guard. For some reason, seeing his clients escorted in such a way never bothered Phoenix before, but seeing Ellie next to the guard was a bit jarring.

"Good morning, Mr. Wright," she greeted.

"Good morning, Ellie," Phoenix replied. "I hope you slept well?"

"Well, after our meeting, I must admit I was troubled for a bit," Ellie replied, looking at her mother, "but I did manage to get to sleep."

"That's good," Maya said. "You're gonna need it in court, especially cause this is a Wright case!"

_What's _that _supposed to mean?_

"Thank you," Ellie said, and she smiled faintly for a moment before looking about. "You wouldn't know who the prosecution is by any chance, do you?"

"I wish I did," Phoenix answered.

Ellie looked surprised. "You don't know who the prosecutor is?"

"Of course he doesn't, sweetie," Olivia interjected, using a sweeter voice than anything Phoenix ever heard from her up to that point. "This happens sometimes within the courts."

_...who are you and what have you done with Olivia Fearanst?_

In the meanwhile, Ellie nodded and said, "Alright then. I wish you luck, Mr. Wright. We may need it in any case."

"Yeah, it looks like it's about time to go in," Phoenix noted, looking towards the crowd heading into the courtroom. Checking his Court Record one last time, Phoenix followed the crowd into the room, with Maya at his heels.

* * *

May 6th, 10:00 AM  
District Court  
Courtroom No. 7

The gallery of people sat around murmuring as usual. There wasn't a thing out of the ordinary within the courtroom...well, except for the lack of a prosector in sight. After a moment, the familiar judge banged his gavel to signal that-

"Court is now in session," he announced. "Is the defense ready?"

"Yes, Your Honor," Phoenix replied.

"And the prosecution?"

The response was simply silence. No one stood at the prosecutor's bench to answer the judge.

"Hm? Where is the prosecution?" the judge wondered aloud. "Mr. Wright, you wouldn't happen to know, would you?"

"Um...well, you see," Phoenix began. "I actually don't know who the prosecution is, Your Honor."

"Most perplexing," the judge replied. "Perhaps it's a bad day and he's running late? Or maybe he's sick? I did hear of a bug spreading about."

"Um...Nick? What exactly do we do in this situation?" Maya asked, scratching her head.

_How should I know? My prosecutors have always been here before,_ Phoenix thought.

"Well, I'm afraid I have very little choice," the judge announced. "Without a prosecution, we cannot conduct a trial, and so I am forced to call for a m- "

Suddenly the doors to the courtroom burst wide open. Every head in the courtroom turned to see who had just arrived.

A tall man wearing a comically large bowtie entered the courtroom. He adjusted his circular glasses upon his pointed nose and headed over to the Prosecutor's Bench. He set upon it a rather ordinary briefcase, dulled brown and with golden latches which he popped up immediately, opening the case itself. Like the green and blue striped bowtie that was easily the size of his head, the man's clothes equally stood out in their loud coloration. The suit he wore glowed radiantly in the courtroom in its fuchsia form, and his blue pants, all of which helped make the man himself look even stranger than before.

"Um, sir?" the judge asked after the man finished preparing. "Might I ask if you are in the wrong room?"

"Is zis not ze courtroom containing ze murder case concerning Sir Cameron Fearanst?" the man asked, a strong accent flourishing from his lips.

"It is," the judge replied. "But I fail to see-"

"_Atok_, of course you cannot see," the man muttered. "For who else would I be if not ze Prosecutor for ze case?"

"My apologies," the judge said. "Might I ask your name then?"

"_Narr_, _narr_, do you not see?" the man questioned. "It is I, ze great and most legendary prosecutor in ze world! I, who haff proven ze guilt of so many across ze planet! I, who shall now prove _enn og aftur_ zat I am still ze greatest in ze world! For it is I, Pierre Imaterr!"

"P-P-P-P-Pierre Imaterr!"

An explosive flurry of sound and commentary fluttered about the courtroom for the longest time.

"That's THE Pierre Imaterr?"

"I've never even SEEN the guy before!"

"And to think, he wears such outrageous clothes!"

"I wonder where he gets this stuff?"

The judge banged his gavel upon the block several times.

"Order, order, order, order, order, order, order!" the judge cried. "I will not have this trial suspended due to unruly conduct! Especially not on the first day!"

And after several more minutes, the crowd finally calmed and hushed and fell silent once more.

"My my," the judge managed to say finally, "I'm impressed that we have such a celebrity in our midst."

"Ze pleasure is all mine, _Herra_ Judge," Pierre replied, bowing in such a way as to remind Phoenix of another particular prosecutor.

"Well then," the judge announced, "I say we get this trial started. Is the defense still ready?"

"The defense is ready, Your Honor," Phoenix replied, still thrown off by his opponent's moves and simply wondering who he was.

"And the prosecution I take it is ready as well?" the judge asked.

"More so zan ever, _Votre Honneur_," Pierre replied.

"Very well," the judge began. "The prosecution may make their opening statement."

"_Dank u_, _Votre Honneur_," Pierre responded once more. Then he bent his head over, closing his eyes and pausing before making his opening statement.

"_Damen und Herren_," he began, "I haff prepared ze case seamlessly against ze defense. Zey claim innocence, zat a sympathetic girl who is only so young is incapable of something so vile as murder. Nie! Do not believe zese claims! For I haff ze evidence! I haff ze eyewitness! And ze truth, she will reveal herself radiantly! And zen, just when you zink zat zere is nothing left - Eureka! Ze end draws over and ze verdict given! And ze verdict...she is GUILTY!"

At this last word, Pierre banged his fist upon the table, also reminding Phoenix of a certain prosecutor. A pause in the gallery. The judge blinked, a wide-eyed expression on his face. Everyone seemed to be in awe of the prosecutor's introduction. Phoenix, however, looked simply flabbergasted.

_You've gotta be kidding me,_ Phoenix thought, though his face said it all just as well.

Finally, it seemed the judge had been able to recollect himself.

"Well then," he said, "with an opening like that, who needs further explanation? The prosecution may call its first witness to the stand."

"With pleasure, _Herra_ Judge," Pierre said. "Ze prosecution calls forth ze detective, Dick Gumshoe."

At that moment, Detective Gumshoe got up from his seat in the galley and approached the stand.

* * *

COURT RECORD

Evidence  
Attorney Badge - I keep this with me as proof that I'm an attorney. It only does so much for me.  
Magatama - A mystical tool that allows me to look into people's hearts and break the locks that keep them from telling the whole truth.  
Autopsy Report - Victim was stabbed in the back. Death was near instantaneous due to spinal shock.  
Carnival Map - A map of the carnival made by ARC. It's an accurate rendering of the layout.  
Loose Tile - A tile hanging by a hinge from the carousel's big top over the crime scene. Curious little thing.  
Initials - "ARC", left on a unicorn on the carousel. Could be another suspect in the murder case.  
Casino Letter - A letter from a casino regarding a large sum of money owed by Sir Cameron

Profiles  
Sir Cameron Fearanst - the victim, found dead on the back of a white stallion. A professional gambler, he frequently plays on the roulette wheel.  
Ellie Ipssiss Fearanst - the defendant, 15-year old daughter of the victim. She plays off being innocent well.  
Olivia Vale Fearanst - the victim's wife. She was the one who sought my help for the case against her daughter.  
ARC - the initials left at the crime scene. Whoever this is, they might be the only other suspect besides Elly.  
Ron D. Globus - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Buoyant Boy" for his ability to stay above water...and for his surprisingly youthful appearance!  
Ethelinda Nejem - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Snake Lady" due to her appearance. She's really good at reading people.  
Dahnjent Pidisque - owner and ringmaster of the famous Pidisque Carnival, and an eccentric insane fellow. A good friend of Sir Cameron's.  
Pierre Imaterr - the prosecutor of this case, and a very strange man overall. There seems to be more to him than meets the eye.

* * *

Ah, yes, Pierre Imaterr. He's the last of the original characters I came up with to introduce, and he's one of the first I came up with. Kinda crazy like Dahnjent, at least with his clothes, but he's much crueler and ruthless naturally, being a prosecutor. What would you expect from a prosecutor, right?

Stylistically speaking, in the games, usually the Prosecutor's name isn't a blatantly obvious pun like Pierre's, but don't worry he does have an important role to play in this case just like everyone else. :)

I probably won't update the story next week as I'll be out of town and away from the Internet for a little bit, but I'll definitely try and get as much of the court trial done as possible so I can update more easily within the few days when I get into signal range. In the meantime, to those who celebrate, Merry Christmas, and to all of you a Happy New Year!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Gumshoe's Testimony

It came as no surprise to Phoenix that the scruffy detective was the first to be called up; he was usually the first witness called up for anything. Being the primary investigator at the scene of the crime, Gumshoe's testimonies usually set up the crime, including everything that led up to it chronologically, as well as establishing the prosecution's case. Of course, being Gumshoe, there was bound to be an error or two.

"Detective Gumshoe," Pierre began sternly, "you are ze chief investigator of zis case, _ja_?"

"...uh, ya!" Gumshoe responded cheerfully, but after Pierre glared at him, he bowed low and sheepishly said, "I mean, yes, sir."

"And ze autopsy," Pierre continued, wielding a copy of the report, "she is complete, _ja_?"

"Yes, sir," Gumshoe answered. "That should include everything from the type of death to the time of death."

_Did I get that?_ Phoenix checked his own Autopsy Report and realized that he hadn't.

"_Votre Honneur_, I present ze latest autopsy report for ze Court Record," Pierre said, handing the judge the file.

"The court recognizes this as such," the judge responded.

**Autopsy Report Updated.**

"Ze time of death, as you shall see, is 8:14, night-time," Pierre continued. "Ze daughter of ze victim was zere with him at ze carousel at zis time. Ze investigation confirms zis, _narr_?"

"Yes," Gumshoe answered.

"State your testimony," Pierre commanded.

"Yes sir," Gumshoe answered.

_Alright, now's the time to start picking apart the testimony!_

**TESTIMONY**

The Murder of Sir Cameron

"_Well, Sir Cameron arrived with his daughter, Ellie, about 6:30-ish, I think."_

"_They wandered about the carnival, doing all sorts of things, I imagine."_

"_And then they got to the carousel right about 8-ish."_

"_Right about the time of the crime, a power outage occurred, causing everything to go dark."_

"_When the lights came back on, Sir Cameron was dead in his seat."_

...

The judge blinked a couple of times. "There was a power outage?" he asked bemused.

"_Tak_, _Votre Honneur_," Pierre answered, holding up another piece of paper. "Here is ze report from ze electric company."

"Interesting," the judge said.

**Outage Report added to Court Record.**

"Hmm..." the judge mused whilst reading the report. Then suddenly, he yelped and said, "Why, according to this report, someone cut a wire!"

"_Tak_, _Votre Honneur_," Pierre replied. "Ze wire, she was cut with un knife."

"But then, where's the knife?" the judge asked.

"Zis is ze knife," Pierre answered, holding a plastic baggie containing a rather gruesome blade marked in blood.

"But wait..."

**Murder Weapon added to Court Record.**

"...you mean to tell me," the judge asked, "that this knife was used to cut a wire...and then it was used to kill Sir Cameron?"

"_Tak_, _Votre Honneur_," Pierre finished.

"I see!" the judge said. "Well then, with that in mind, the defense may proceed with their cross-examination."

_How am I supposed to follow _that?_ He just came out guns blazing! But hopefully I can pick out something from Gumshoe's testimony._

**CROSS-EXAMINATION**

The Murder of Sir Cameron

"_Well, Sir Cameron arrived with his daughter, Ellie, about 6:30-ish, I think."_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"Are you sure they arrived at about 6:30 PM that night?" Phoenix asked.

"Well, Ellie herself told me that," Gumshoe answered, "and her mother confirmed that they had left together about 6:00. Since they live about a half-hour away from the carnival grounds, it's reasonable to believe they arrived at about 6:30."

"Why didn't Olivia join them that night?" Phoenix pressed.

"Ya got me, pal," Gumshoe replied. "I think she said she was busy."

_Actually, I hadn't really given it that much thought either. Maybe I should go a little deeper into it._

"What was she busy with, exactly?" Phoenix continued.

"She was preoccupied with some work of hers," Gumshoe answered. "All I know was that she couldn't go because of some important business."

_Note to self: ask her what's so important about that business._

"In ze case of zis line of questioning," Pierre suddenly said, "you have wasted our time, _atok_."

_And what in the world is _that _supposed to mean?_

"_They wandered about the carnival, doing all sorts of things, I imagine."_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"What sort of things do you mean?" Phoenix pressed.

"Well, what else would you do at a carnival?" Gumshoe countered, then said, "The way I heard, they went all around the carnival, from games to rides. They did all that before they got to the carousel."

"And when did they get to the carousel?"

"_And then they got to the carousel right about 8-ish."_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"Are you certain that's when they arrived?"

"Of course," Gumshoe answered. "They arrived at the carousel right about eight o' clock."

"I mean that you are absolutely positive of the time?" Phoenix pressed.

_**EINSPRUCH!**_

The outburst brought the attention of the entire courtroom back to Pierre. "He has said of ze arrival time being at eight, and he has said it many times! Badgering ze witness will not let zis fact change. Unless you haff proof to ze contrary, ze testimony shall stand."

The judge, gathering his wits, followed up by saying, "Yes, yes, that is true. Is there something about the time that is significant?"

_I'm still trying to figure out what he just said,_ Phoenix thought, but he said, "I don't have much to use at this time, Your Honor."

"Very well then," the judge said, "the witness may continue with his testimony."

"_Right about the time of the crime, a power outage occurred, causing everything to go dark."_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"How long did the power outage last?"

"Well, I'd say it lasted from the time it went out to the time their backup generator came back on," Gumshoe replied. "We don't know exactly where the wire was cut, so technically it's still not fixed."

"Wait...if you don't know where the wire is..._how do you know it was cut?_"

A beat as Gumshoe gave this some thought. "Ya know, that suddenly brings up a good point."

_**EINSPRUCH!**_

"It came up within ze report itself, _atok,_" Pierre responded. "You should not badger ze witness over something zat came up within ze testimony."

_All of a sudden, I'm getting a weird vibe off this evidence._

"In any case, ze power outage lasted two minutes," Pierre continued. "Zis was ze time from when ze outage occurred and when ze backup generator was triggered. Zat is all zere is to it."

"Very well then," the judge announced, "the witness may continue his testimony.

"_When the lights came back on, Sir Cameron was dead in his seat."_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"Dead in his seat?"

"Yep. Dead. Right there. On the ride," Gumshoe said.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...um...could you be a little more specific about it?" Phoenix asked.

"Oh! Sure, pal," Gumshoe responded. "Yeah, see, there was blood everywhere sort of thing, and -"

_**EINSPRUCH!**_

"Zere is no need to go into ze details of ze murder," Pierre said. "It happened, it was terrible, we know all about it. Ze body was located upon ze horse upon ze carousel. We know zis already, so, _ju lutem_, cease your questioning!"

_I don't know what's more annoying, his objecting to my questions, or his use of language...maybe he's making these words up as he goes along?_

The courtroom was quiet for a moment as Phoenix thought of what to do next. He had already dissected Gumshoe's testimony to bits and pieces, but it didn't seem as if anything was particularly out-of-place at the moment.

"If the defense is done questioning the witness," the judge announced, "then I would like to proceed with the trial at hand."

_I don't think there's anything more I can do at this point,_ thought Phoenix. He'd done all he could think of, and it seemed Gumshoe's testimony was rather solid. He thought back to the one thing Gumshoe mentioned about the time.

"Gumshoe, one last question," Phoenix addressed. "The time they arrived at the carousel was about 8 o'clock for certain?"

"Yeah," Gumshoe said flatly.

_...uh, well..._

"No sooner and no later?"

"Yeah."

_...uh...well..._

"Are you done yet, _Herra_ Attorney?" Pierre asked impatiently.

"...um...I guess?" Phoenix answered, the uncertainty written all over his face.

Pierre slammed his hand into the desk, reminding Phoenix a lot of Edgeworth. "Well?"

"Uh, yes, I'm done." _What's biting his ankles?...and why did I just think of that? I think this case is messing with my head._

"Well then, Gumshoe, you are free to go," the judge announced. Gumshoe got off the stand, a rather triumphant look on his face for some reason as he strolled into the gallery. The judge continued, "The prosecution may now call its next witness to the stand."

"Ze prosecution calls forth Ron D. Globus to ze stand," Pierre proclaimed loudly, a hint of a smirk on his face.

_Looks like it's time for Round Two.

* * *

_

**COURT RECORD**

Profiles  
Sir Cameron Fearanst - the victim, found dead on the back of a white stallion. A professional gambler, he frequently plays on the roulette wheel.  
Ellie Ipssiss Fearanst - the defendant, 15-year old daughter of the victim. She plays off being innocent well.  
Olivia Vale Fearanst - the victim's wife. She was the one who sought my help for the case against her daughter.  
ARC - the initials left at the crime scene. Whoever this is, they might be the only other suspect besides Elly.  
Ron D. Globus - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Buoyant Boy" for his ability to stay above water...and for his surprisingly youthful appearance!  
Ethelinda Nejem - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Snake Lady" due to her appearance. She's really good at reading people.  
Dahnjent Pidisque - owner and ringmaster of the famous Pidisque Carnival, and an eccentric insane fellow. A good friend of Sir Cameron's.  
Pierre Imaterr - the prosecutor of this case, and a very strange man overall. There seems to be more to him than meets the eye.

Evidence  
Attorney Badge - I keep this with me as proof that I'm an attorney. It only does so much for me.  
Magatama - A mystical tool that allows me to look into people's hearts and break the locks that keep them from telling the whole truth.  
Autopsy Report - Victim was stabbed in the back. Time of Death: 8:14 PM. Death was near instantaneous due to spinal shock.  
Carnival Map - A map of the carnival made by ARC. It's an accurate rendering of the layout.  
Loose Tile - A tile hanging by a hinge from the carousel's big top over the crime scene. Curious little thing.  
Initials - "ARC", left on a unicorn on the carousel. Could be another suspect in the murder case.  
Bag of Peanuts - A now-empty bag of peanuts that Ron dropped in the Hall of Mirrors. They were unopened when Maya found them.  
Casino Letter - A letter from a casino regarding a large sum of money owed by Sir Cameron  
Outage Report - A power outage occurred at 8:13 PM on May 5 due to a cut wire. A backup generator was activated at 8:15 PM while maintenance replaced the wire.  
Murder Weapon - The hideous knife used to kill Sir Cameron Fearanst. It was also used to cut a wire.

* * *

I understand that one of the more confusing aspects of Pierre is his use of language in court. To help with reading and understanding Pierre's speech, here's a list of words used along with what language they are and what they mean (this list covers the past two chapters):

Narr - German, "fool"  
Atok - "fool"  
enn og aftur - Norwegian, "then and after"  
Herra - Finnish, "Mr."  
Votre Honneur - French, "your honor"  
Dank u - Dutch, "Thank you"  
Damen und Herren - German, "Ladies and gentlemen"  
Ja - Norwegian (and other languages), "yes"  
Tak - Polish, "yes"  
Einspruch - German, "Objection"  
Ju Lutem - Albanian, "please"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Ron's Testimony

Today simply wasn't Ron's day. His usually cheerful demeanor was replaced with one of ever-shifting nervousness. It was as though ants had crawled into his pants, and he simply stood there moving about awkwardly in an attempt to get them out. His body squirmed and contorted in ways Phoenix didn't really think a sphere would be able to do. Yet he knew everything could go one way or another in the courtroom.

"Ron D. Globus," Pierre called out, "you are here to help explain to ze judge why ze defendant is guilty. Your testimony shall explain zis, _ja_?"

"Uh, yeah, sure, whatever you say," Ron replied.

_Strange_, Phoenix thought. _He seems to be more on edge today. Ever since I exposed that he was at the scene of the crime, he's done nothing but sweat bullets._

"Well zen," Pierre continued, "please tell ze judge what you did ze night of ze murder."

"Yeah, yeah, right, the murder, sure," Ron replied.

**TESTIMONY**

What I Did That Night

"_So yeah, I was performing over at the Hall of Freaks, ya know? Doing my act and what not."_

"_We took a break around intermission, and I was starving after my act, ya know?"_

"_So I went to the cart and got me a snack, a bag of peanuts, that's all."_

"_And as I came back, the lights went out! Before I knew it, Sir Cameron was dead on the carousel!"_

"_I didn't know what to do, so I ran back, dropping my peanuts off at one point."_

...

Ron finished his testimony with a sigh of...relief?

_I wonder why he suddenly seems so relieved,_ thought Phoenix. _It's like he thinks he's...gotten himself out of something._

"What a traumatic experience you must have had," the judge said, nodding his head in thought.

"Yeah, yeah, it was," Ron replied, albeit quickly and hinting at impatience.

"Very well then," the judge announced, "the defense may now cross-examine the witness."

_There's something fishy about this testimony,_ Phoenix thought to himself, concentrating all his focus on Ron. _I may not know what it is, but I know how to find out._

"Be gentle on him if you can, Nick," Maya chimed.

"No guarantees of that," Phoenix replied. "He is a witness."

"Well, just don't deflate him badly then," Maya said cheerfully.

_He's not actually a balloon, ya know..._

**CROSS-EXAMINATION**

What I Did That Night

"_So yeah, I was performing over at the Hall of Freaks, ya know? Doing my act and what not."_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"What's your act?" Phoenix asked.

"My...act?" Ron answered, puzzled.

"At the Hall of Freaks," Phoenix continued. "What's your-"

_**EINSPRUCH!**_

"Zere is no need to answer zat question due to its irrelevance," Pierre called out. "Ze witness's act has very little to do with ze murder_ à tous les._ Ze witness is ze Bouncing Boy, and zat is all."

_I knew that! I just thought I'd check or something...wait, where was I going with that?_

"If the defense is done," the judge said, "let us continue with the testimony."

"_We took a break around intermission, and I was starving after my act, ya know?"_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"Why didn't you eat beforehand?"

"What, before the show? I didn't really have time to do that much," Ron replied.

_I don't know what it is exactly, but my instincts are just screaming suspicion. I wonder if I should ask more about it,_ Phoenix pondered for a moment.

"Is there something the defense would like to ask the witness?" the judge asked.

"Actually, yes," Phoenix said. "What exactly goes on before the show that prevents you from enjoying a meal?"

"Rehearsals," Ron answered.

"Rehearsals?"

"Yeah! It's not like we just have these talents and show em off!" Ron continued. "We like to practice beforehand and make sure everything's set up right so that nothing wrong goes on during the show."

_Well that seems perfectly reasonable._ "So you check up on everything?"

"From the top to the bottom, we hit everything! Cracks in the tank, tightening tight rope, safety nets placed securely, lights working properly - the works!" Ron said, bouncing a little more with excitement.

"That sounds absolutely marvelous!" the judge noted.

"Yep! We take care of our tent and everything in it!" Ron bounced.

_Guess it wasn't as suspicious as I thought._

"Very well then," the judge nodded, "let's proceed with the cross-examination. You were saying you were hungry, right?"

"That's right!" Ron said.

"_So I went to the cart and got me a snack, a bag of peanuts, that's all."_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"There wasn't any food over by the Hall of Freaks?" Phoenix asked skeptically.

"Normally, the cart's placed over by the Hall of Freaks because of the performance," Ron explained, "but this time we moved it over somewhere else for some reason."

"Where exactly was the cart moved to?" Phoenix pressed.

"Well, I'd be more inclined to answer if I had a map of sorts," Ron replied. "I'm no good with remembering places or directions."

"Here," Phoenix said, pulling out the Carnival Map from the Court Record and handing it over to Ron. Perusing over it, he seemed to be rather impressed with the map for some reason or other.

Finally, Ron looked up and said, "Alright, here's the path I took. Pay attention, I don't want to go over it twice:

"Here we have the Hall of Freaks in the upper-right, northeast as it were. From there, I traveled down this way - southwest - in order to avoid going through the Hall of Mirrors. At this point, between the carousel and the Hall of Mirrors, is a fork, where I turned left and headed past the carnival games to the food cart. It takes about five minutes to get over there from the Hall of Freaks.

"That's the route I took to get there."

"Interesting," Phoenix said. "But why was the cart over there instead of where it normally was?"

"Don't look at me," Ron shrugged. "I don't have the foggiest idea of why."

_Figures..._

"_And as I came back, the lights went out! Before I knew it, Sir Cameron was dead on the carousel!"_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"You say the lights went out as you came back to the Hall of Mirrors?" Phoenix asked.

"Yeah, that's right," Ron replied.

"And then you saw that Sir Cameron was dead on the carousel?" Phoenix continued.

"Yeah, exactly!"

"So what you're saying is that, for the two whole minutes that the power went out, you just...stood there?"

"Stood where?"

"Outside the Hall of Mirrors here. Facing towards the carousel," Phoenix said, indicating on the map where exactly he meant.

"Um...I guess so," Ron replied uneasily.

"Guessing's not good enough," Phoenix pressed. "No one just stands around during a blackout!"

_**EINSPRUCH!**_

A loud bang echoed about the room. Pierre had slammed his hand into the desk, his features much more pronounced than before.

"_Narr_, _narr_, _narr,_ Mr. Wright," Pierre said. "What can one see in ze darkness? Nothing! What can one do within zis darkness? Nothing! What did ze witness do? Nothing! Why? Because zat is exactly what someone would do in zat situation!"

_**OBJECTION!**_

Despite being taken aback by Pierre's sudden strike, Phoenix held his ground, slamming his hands onto his desk. _Wow...that came out of nowhere...but I have to continue with my thinking!_

"This isn't like a normal blackout situation," Phoenix continued. "If what the defendant told us is correct..._then he saw the moment the murder occurred!"_

Ron was startled by this, bouncing up in the air. The judge blinked a couple times, a surprised look on his face. Pierre, however, did nothing but glare at Phoenix. Phoenix thought he could feel the stabs of pain from the daggers Pierre was shooting at him...with his eyes.

Finally, the judge shook his head. "Well, this wouldn't be a Wright case without a twist," the judge called out. Then he turned to Ron and asked, "Is this true? Did you actually see the moment of the murder?"

"Um...well..."

A large patch of sweat formed on Ron's forehead, a small trickle running down each side. He yanked at his collar nervously before replying, "I'm not entirely sure how to answer that."

"A simple yes or no will suffice," the judge said.

"Well...the thing is...the blackout happened before I saw the murder."

* * *

Sorry I haven't updated this in forever! I've been rather busy lately and got stuck in this chapter trying to figure out where I wanted to go. fortunately, I've got an idea of where this is going now, so hopefully my next update will be much faster! In the meantime, I'm gonna be somewhat occupied with my schoolwork and trying to find a job for the summer. Hope everyone's having a good spring so far, and I'll make sure the next chapter comes by faster! :D

Here's some more Pierre phrasing:_  
à tous les_ - French, at all


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Ron's Contradiction and Testimony

The room had gone quiet. The judge blinked a couple of times. "But didn't you claim to have done just that earlier?"

"Well, see, I only saw so much," Ron began nervously. "I mean, there was a blackout after all, so I mean, it was dark and stuff, so I didn't see much, but-"

BANG

Once again Pierre's hand smacked the desk, his face stern and pointed. "You must testify on this matter, _umiddelbart,"_ he said passively.

Ron looked back curiously, a thin line of sweat going down his face. Finally, he said, "Fine..."

**TESTIMONY**

What I Saw

"_Alright, so I missed the moment of the murder - I blinked or something."_

"_But that doesn't mean I didn't see anything!"_

"_Right before the lights went out, I remember very clearly Sir Cameron and Ellie on the carousel."_

"_Then there was a glint of something, and then the lights went out!"_

The judge blinked a couple more times, adding to his blinking tally of the day. "Is that all?"

"Yep," Ron answered.

Shaking his head, the judge commented, "It seems so straight forward when you put it like that. Very well, let's get to the cross-examination."

"With pleasure, Your Honor," Phoenix said.

"Something up, Nick?" Maya asked, noting the look in Phoenix's eyes.

"Oh yeah, there's definitely something fishy about his testimony," Phoenix nodded. "I don't know exactly what it is, but I've got my eye on him."

"Try not to bruise him too badly," Maya said. "I wouldn't want him to look so hurt."

_He's not really a bouncing ball either, ya know. Or maybe he is? Metaphorically-speaking?_

**CROSS-EXAMINATION**

What I Saw

"_Alright, so I missed the moment of the murder - I blinked or something."_

_**HOLD IT!**_

Phoenix slammed his hands on the desk. "How could you do such a thing?" he demanded.

"Geez, it's not my fault!" Ron exclaimed. "I don't know what happened, I just missed it!"

"You can't just miss something like murder!" Phoenix retorted. "That's...that's criminal!"

_**EINSPRUCH!**_

Now Pierre slammed his hand on the desk. "_Herra_ Wright," he declared, "I will not tolerate zis badgering of my witness! So he missed ze crucial moment of ze murder, zat's all. It is not a crime that that happened; what is a crime is ze murder, so I suggest you do yourself a favor and get over it!"

For the first time in the trial, Phoenix was legitimately taken aback. _Guess I should just listen to him, much as I hate it._

"Nick!" Maya said. "You gotta focus on the case at hand!"

"I-I-I know that!" Phoenix said, slightly flustered now.

"If the defense is done embarrassing itself," the judge announced, "I would like to continue with the cross-examination of the witness. Now then, if you could please continue."

"_But that doesn't mean I didn't see anything!"_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"What exactly do you mean by that?" Phoenix asked.

"Whoa, there, I'm getting to that," Ron replied. "Don't rush me!"

"It would appear zat you haff forgotten the etiquette of ze court, _Herra _Wright," Pierre sneered. "I would remind you where your place is."

_This prosecutor's _really _starting to get to me..._

"_Right before the lights went out, I remember very clearly Sir Cameron and Ellie on the carousel."_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"So you saw Sir Cameron and Ellie riding the carousel together?" Phoenix asked.

"Yep, kinda like what they were planning on doing," Ron answered.

"What do you mean, 'planning'?" Phoenix asked.

"Well, Sir Cameron loved talking about his kid Ellie a lot," Ron continued. "He always remarked on how she would've loved the carnival, and the acts, and the games, and all sorts of stuff. But I know the one thing he always wanted to take her on was the-"

_**EINSPRUCH!**_

Pierre slammed his hand on the desk. "If you could refrain and restrain from distracting ze defendant from ze case at hand," Pierre said, "zan we can get on with zis trial!"

_I wonder what's got his bowtie in a bind, _Phoenix thought.

"Very well," said the judge in agreement, "if we may proceed with the cross-examination. Although I do love a good fatherly story..."

"_Then there was a glint of something, and then the lights went out!"_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"Did you catch a glimpse of what it was you saw?" Phoenix asked.

"Not really," Ron said. "I just remember that it was directly over their heads."

"Directly over their heads?" Phoenix pressed.

"Yep," Ron answered. "Actually, if I could borrow some paper, I could draw something like what I saw."

"That's a novel idea!" the judge said. "Bailiff, a pen and paper for the witness quickly!"

Eventually, Ron was given his pen and paper and began to sketch a rather simplistic drawing with everyone watching, waiting. Sometimes, Ron would look up for a moment, as though remembering something, and then he would quickly go back to the drawing. Finally, he finished his drawing and showed it to the court.

"This is something like what I saw," Ron announced.

The drawing consisted of a odd shape that looked like a horse and two stick figures riding it. One had lines coming off its head similar to Ellie's hairstyle while the other appeared as though riding the horse. An "X" was shown above their heads.

"Erm...what is it?" the judge asked, puzzled.

"Well, see," Ron replied, "here we have the horse they were riding, and then here's Ellie with the hair, and then we have Sir Cameron here - he always loved doing that, riding the horse as if it were real - and then this little thing up here is where I saw the glint."

Phoenix examined the drawing carefully, searching for anything in the drawing that would..._Wait a minute..._

"Is there something wrong, Mr. Wright?" the judge asked.

_Something definitely seems fishy about this picture...but what is it..._

"Your Honor," Phoenix answered, "I think there is something odd about this drawing."

"Then please," the judge said, "tell the court what exactly is it that seems so off about this drawing."

Phoenix examined the drawing once more, and then...

_**TAKE THAT!**_

"You say that this is exactly what you saw?" Phoenix asked.

"Well, something like it," Ron answered. "It's the closest I can get ya. I'm not exactly an artist."

"But then, if that's the case...then why is the glint so high above their heads?"

One of Ron's eyebrows rose. "Whaddya mean?"

"If you will recall the carousel ride itself," Phoenix began, "you'll remember that the top of the ride comes down to a certain point."

"Yeah, and what's wrong with that?" Ron asked.

"Do you know the carousel well enough to draw part of the big top?" Phoenix asked, handing the drawing back to Ron.

Ron looked at the paper, then back to Phoenix, then he scrunched his face deep in concentration before popping out again. And then...

"...wait a minute..."

Ron quickly grabbed the pen and drew a wavy line across the page, similar to that of the top. He set the pen down once more and looked at his drawing. Phoenix picked it up and looked at it himself.

"...just as I thought."

As he handed the drawing to the judge, Phoenix said, "If you could, judge, please tell me where the glint now appears in comparison with the top of the carousel."

The judge picked up the sheet and examined it. "Why, it would appear the glint is only just beneath the top!" he answered.

A small murmur began in the crowd. "What does it mean?" "What do you think he's doing?" "What did he think changed?" "Can't we see the drawing?"

Ron looked back at Phoenix and asked, "So what do you make of it?"

Phoenix nodded his head. "I think there's only one thing of note here," he said. "The glint you saw was fairly high above their heads. I can only assume one thing: that this glint..."

Suddenly, Phoenix smacked his hands against the desk dramatically.

"_...did not come from the murder weapon."_

The murmur in the crowd grew into an uproar as they realized what Phoenix was getting at. The judge banged his gavel and cried, "Order! Order!"

_**EINSPRUCH!**_

Pierre once again took to the stage. "_Herra _Wright," he began, "you are very clever to think zat zis would distract from ze case at hand. But zere is one thing zat I am certain has yet to be proven otherwise: what Ron really saw. If it was not ze murder weapon, zan what was the glint he saw right above zere heads?"

"Yes," the judge agreed, "if it wasn't the murder weapon, what was above their heads that could give off such a glint?"

"Actually, as it just so turns out," Phoenix began before taking a triumphant pose and smiling, "I happen to know one thing that could be the source."

"_Du lyver!_" Pierre retorted.

"No...uh...I mean, yes...I mean...umm...well, take a look at this!"

Phoenix pulled out the one piece of evidence he knew would prove what the glint really was!

"...it's...a loose tile?" the judge asked, puzzled.

"Not just any loose tile, Your Honor," Phoenix continued. "This tile in particular happens to hang right above the horse Sir Cameron and Ellie were riding."

"You mean to say that the glint that Ron saw was actually this loose tile reflecting some light?" the judge questioned.

"Yes, Your Honor," Phoenix nodded. _Let's see him trump that._

Pierre, however, merely shook his head. "_Herra_ Wright, you are a clever man," he said, "but you are also a dreamer. Ze tile does not prove zat it was not ze knife."

Phoenix recoiled in shock. "What?"

"Zere is one way zat ze glint can be ze knife and still hold zis tile," Pierre continued. "Zat would be zat ze knife itself..."

Pierre now smacked his hand on the desk dramatically.

"_...was placed in ze same spot!"_

Phoenix recoiled once more. "No way!"

"Wait, aren't you the one who's supposed to come up with the crazy theories around here?" Maya asked.

"Not the time, Maya," Phoenix replied.

"Wait a minute," the judge said, "let me get this straight. You're saying that Ron saw the glint of the knife as it fell from the loose tile?"

"_Ja, Votre Honneur_," PIerre replied. "Ze murder, she occurred. Ze weapon? Ze knife. Ze tile? Part of ze trap to kill Sir Cameron!"

"Oh my! With this, the case is practically wrapped up!" the judge said. "So the defendant must have visited the carnival before hand, placed the knife inside the loose tile, and then somehow caused it to fall right as the blackout occurred. Ingenious!"

_**OBJECTION!**_

Phoenix slammed his hands on the desk. "There's no way that could have happened like that!"

"Oh? And where is your proof, _Herra_ Wright?" Pierre taunted. "Ze plan, she is laid out in front of you, wide-eyed. What doubt could you shed on zis theory?"

_Dammit, he's right. I can't just say things that don't make sense. There has to be something else - something that will prove it couldn't have dropped from the tile..._

"Well, Wright? We're waiting," the judge said.

_...wait...that's it!_

Phoenix pulled out another piece of evidence. "If the court will recall," Phoenix said, "there's something very basic we seem to have overlooked. And that this evidence provides the contradiction within that theory!"

"Mr. Wright," the judge noted, "you've pulled out the Autopsy Report."

"That's correct, Your Honor," Phoenix said. "Alone, this evidence could prove that Sir Cameron was not simply stabbed with a knife dropped from a height. The wound itself is too gruesome to simply fall into him."

"Well, Wright," Pierre countered, "zere is ze possibility zat ze knife was weighty enough such zat when dropped from zat height it would inflict such a grisly injury upon ze late Sir Cameron."

"I figured that," Phoenix continued, "but there's an even more important section of the report that will prove that the knife couldn't have dropped from the tile: the time of death."

"The time of death?" the judge asked curiously.

"Yes," Phoenix said, pulling out another piece of evidence. "If the story holds true as it does now, the blackout would have occurred just before the knife fell from the height - a matter of seconds. However..."

Phoenix laid the new evidence in front of the judge.

"...the timing says otherwise."

"The Outage Report?" the judge asked, looking over it carefully.

"If you would, judge, please read the time of when the outage occurred."

"...hmm...it seems to have started May 5 at...8:13 PM."

"And in comparison with the autopsy report..."

"The time of death...was 8:14 PM!"

"Exactly," Phoenix continued. "There seems to be something here: _a full minute gap for the knife to fall._"

Pierre recoiled, shocked! "_Qu'est ce que c'est?_"

The crowd erupted once more into an uproar, with the judge now banging his gavel once more crying for order. "Order, order!" he shouted, until finally the crowd settled down.

"What exactly are you saying, Mr. Wright?" the judge asked.

"Your Honor, I believe that it is impossible for the glint in question to be the knife," Phoenix said, "because, if it were the knife in motion, then it would not have killed Sir Cameron for at least a minute which, according to the autopsy, isn't possible because his death was instantaneous!"

"I see," the judge nodded. "That means that it wasn't the knife at all, but instead it was the loose tile!"

"That's correct," Phoenix said.

"Well, it would seem to me that there are a couple of loose ends to tie up," the judge announced. "We still are not certain of who the murderer is, and I'm also curious about this incident with the wire."

_The cut wire from the outage report...I wonder about that..._

"With little else to go on," the judge continued, "I have no choice but to ask that the trial be suspended until tomorrow. Court dismissed."

And with that, the gavel came down one last time.

...

Phoenix and Maya met outside the courts with Ellie and Olivia.

"We sure showed that prosecutor who's boss!" Maya said, jumping up a little.

"Don't get too excited just yet," Phoenix said. "We only dodged a bullet today." _I've been in this business for too long..._

"Congratulations, Mr. Wright," Olivia said, her ever-persistent frown accompanied by her glare unrelenting as usual, "but even now my daughter remains the suspect."

_Like I didn't already know?_ Phoenix thought while saying, "I don't think there's much we can do now except investigate further."

"Like looking into that wire thing, right?" Maya asked.

"Yep," Phoenix nodded, "and we're going to find out who 'ARC' is too."

"ARC? Who's ARC?" Olivia asked.

"Just some initials we found at the scene," Phoenix answered.

"ARC? As in ze ARC Bicvcle shop, _ja_?"

Out of nowhere, Pierre appeared, his obnoxious bowtie catching the eyes of everyone.

"_Gratulálok_, as zey say," Pierre said, holding out his hand. "I believe you will be a worthy _ellenfél_ for me, _ja?_"

_What is _with _this guy?_ "Um...thanks...I think?"

"But _qu'est ce que c'est, Herra _Wright? You seem shocked zat I would respect my _ellenféls_?" Pierre noted.

_If I knew what that was..._

"I digress, however," Pierre said. "Ze initials you speak of, zere is a man who goes by zem who is local to ze area where ze carnival is located. He will be able to help, I'm sure."

"Uh, thanks, I guess," Phoenix answered, confused.

"But now, I must depart," Pierre said, taking a bow. "I have much to prepare for in tomorrow's trial. So, as ze say, _Auf Wiedersehen_!"

And with that, Pierre took off out the door of the courthouse.

"What a peculiar fellow," Olivia said, crossing his arms.

_I don't get it. Why would he help us? Is he like Edgeworth and just trying to find the truth? And the initials lead to a bicycle shop nearby...but how did he know that? There's something more to this case, something beneath the surface. This murder, this prosecutor, everything. It's just one thing after another, but there's some story behind it all. And I'm going to get to the bottom of it._

* * *

**COURT RECORD**

Profiles  
Sir Cameron Fearanst - the victim, found dead on the back of a white stallion. A professional gambler, he frequently plays on the roulette wheel.  
Ellie Ipssiss Fearanst - the defendant, 15-year old daughter of the victim. She plays off being innocent well.  
Olivia Vale Fearanst - the victim's wife. She was the one who sought my help for the case against her daughter.  
ARC - the initials left at the crime scene. Whoever this is, they might be the only other suspect besides Elly.  
Ron D. Globus - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Buoyant Boy" for his ability to stay above water...and for his surprisingly youthful appearance!  
Ethelinda Nejem - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Snake Lady" due to her appearance. She's really good at reading people.  
Dahnjent Pidisque - owner and ringmaster of the famous Pidisque Carnival, and an eccentric insane fellow. A good friend of Sir Cameron's.  
Pierre Imaterr - the prosecutor of this case, and a very strange man overall. There seems to be more to him than meets the eye.

Evidence  
Attorney Badge - I keep this with me as proof that I'm an attorney. It only does so much for me.  
Magatama - A mystical tool that allows me to look into people's hearts and break the locks that keep them from telling the whole truth.  
Autopsy Report - Victim was stabbed in the back. Time of Death: 8:14 PM. Death was near instantaneous due to spinal shock.  
Carnival Map - A map of the carnival made by ARC. It's an accurate rendering of the layout.  
Loose Tile - A tile hanging by a hinge from the carousel's big top over the crime scene. Curious little thing.  
Initials - "ARC", left on a unicorn on the carousel. Could be another suspect in the murder case.  
Bag of Peanuts - A now-empty bag of peanuts that Ron dropped in the Hall of Mirrors. They were unopened when Maya found them.  
Casino Letter - A letter from a casino that forced Sir Cameron to pay for a debt he owed. They might still influence the case.  
Outage Report - A power outage occurred at 8:13 PM on May 5 due to a cut wire. A backup generator was activated at 8:15 PM while maintenance replaced the wire.  
Murder Weapon - The hideous knife used to kill Sir Cameron Fearanst. It was also used to cut a wire.  
Ron's Drawing - A depiction of what Ron saw. It shows Sir Cameron and Ellie riding the carousel, and then there's a glint above their heads.

* * *

Wow, these chapters are just getting more and more intense! I better make that backstory's straight! :D

Well, finally out of school for the summer, and now just gotta secure that job I need and stuff. Things are looking up, and I may be able to update my stories a little more frequently as a result of my free time. Course, I've been known to procrastinate with that new Nyan Cat game. XP

In any case, here are some words used by Pierre in this chapter! Hope to see you all in Chapter 10!

Qu'est ce que c'est - French, "what is it/what is this?"  
Gratulálok - Hungarian, "congratulations"  
Ellenfél - Hungarian, "opponent"


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Investigation II Part A

May 6th, 2:30 PM  
Pidisque Carnival  
Ticket Booth

Back again.

And the carnival was as quiet as the day before. Phoenix wasn't too surprised, though. After all, murders aren't always good for business.

_...man, my thoughts have gotten morbid. I should probably get out of the office more often,_ he thought to himself, walking by the ticket booth, Maya faithfully by his side. He recalled the events of that morning's trial, with the new prosecutor as well as Gumshoe and Ron's testimonies.

Phoenix began to recall all the facts of the case: at about 6:30 PM, Sir Cameron Fearanst arrived with his daughter Ellie at the carnival, where they spent their time together for the last time. At about 7:00 PM, the Hall of Freaks began its act. An hour passes, and 8:00 comes around, the final hour. Ron, hungry after his act, uses the fifteen-minute intermission to head over towards the snacks. He arrives there at around 8:05 and retrieves a bag of peanuts, seeing Sir Cameron and Ellie board the carousel on his way over. Ron then begins his return to the Hall when suddenly, at 8:13 PM, a cut wire causes a blackout. At 8:14 PM, the murderer kills Sir Cameron, and at 8:15 PM, the lights come back on again, revealing Sir Cameron's dead body. In a panic, Ron flees from the scene, dropping his unopened bag of peanuts in the Hall of Mirrors.

_Hmmm, it seems I've a few questions for a large group of people,_ he thought to himself. _Who was this ARC that kept appearing around? Pierre mentioned the bike shop owner nearby may be involved. And who cut the wire? And now I'm wondering about the other performers. What were they up to at intermission?_

"So Nick," Maya said, interrupting Phoenix's thoughts, "what're we gonna take care of now?"

"I was just mulling that over, actually," Phoenix replied. "Maybe we should find out where this bike shop is first, and we should check in with the other carnies. I have a feeling a few more stories should pop up aside from Ron's."

"Oooooh, like maybe someone witnessed the murder!" Maya squealed with unfound delight.

_Sometimes I worry about her..._

They headed back to the carousel, untouched since the night of the murder. Phoenix noted the white stallion again, although now it looked as though the beast were in some sort of agonizing pain. Maya also looked at the white stallion.

"It's sad to see it like this," Maya said, her head hanging low. "It almost looks like it's crying."

_I suppose murder's bad enough to make even statues cry,_ Phoenix thought. Regardless, this was not their destination, and Phoenix continued to head towards the place he needed to go, leaving the tragic scene behind.

May 6  
Pidisque Carnival  
Hall of Freaks

Arriving again outside the open maw of the hall's tent, Phoenix and Maya looked around.

"What're we doing here?" Maya asked curiously.

"I could asssssk the ssssame question."

_Right on cue,_ Phoenix thought as Ethelinda slithered up to the two again. The charming snake lady smiled at them as she approached, even flicking out her tongue a little.

"Perhaps you've come to ask a few more questions," she said, her ever-elegant tongue flicking in and out every now and again.

"Actually...yes," Phoenix replied, though he wasn't sure about-

"Don't let my tongue flicking bother you," Ethelinda cooed. "It is merely an act I practice every now and again. I am, after all, part snake."

_As far as the audience knows..._

"In any case, I'm certain that is not the reason you've returned to our humble hall," Ethelinda continued. "Ask your questions."

"How are you doing?" Phoenix began.

"I'm doing very well, thank you for asking," Ethelinda replied cheerfully. "Even despite the murder of Sir Cameron, I seem to be filled with some sort of cheer. Perhaps it is because I have faith that you'll find out who his murderer is."

"I certainly hope that I'll be able to," Phoenix responded.

"Don't let Pierre bother you too much," Ethelinda cooed.

"Pierre? The prosecutor?...wait, how did you know that?"

"Simple," Ethelinda replied. "I talked with him myself."

_She _knows _that nutty prosecutor?_

"You _know_ the prosecutor?" Phoenix asked, failing to mask his surprise and astonishment.

"Certainly," Ethelinda answered.

"How's that?"

"Oh? Don't you know?"

"I know!" Maya exclaimed suddenly. "He's the world's most famous prosecutor! He mentioned it in court today."

Ethelinda chuckled. "True," she said, "he has certainly made a name for himself. But you see, that isn't the reason I know him."

_She knows him for something else? But what could that...wait..._

"You mean," Phoenix thought aloud, tracing his thought path, "that you know him because of...the incident?"

And out of nowhere, the surrounding area darkened, and the chains of three Psyche Locks appeared in front of Ethelinda.

"Perhaps I have already said too much," she said simply.

_Again with the Psyche Locks? How many secrets can a snake lady hold?_

"It is as I said before, Mr. Wright," Ethelinda cooed. "Not all things in the world are readily available to you. Even I can't let certain secrets out so easily."

"I see..."

"You seem disappointed," Ethelinda commented comfortingly.

"I thought I'd already broken through all the barriers," Phoenix remarked. "But in any case, I guess I'll be talking to you again later on."

"I will eagerly await your return," Ethelinda replied.

Phoenix looked through his Court Record for a brief moment and brought out the Carnival Map as well as the Initials that he recorded. "Do you know anything about this ARC fellow?" Phoenix asked. "I've seen a couple of his initials around the place."

"I'm afraid not," Ethelinda answered. "However, I do believe Diablo would be able to help you out."

"Diablo?" Maya asked. Phoenix noticed she appeared to be intimidated by the name.

Ethelinda chuckled; she seemed to notice as well. "Don't worry, he's a real sweetheart," Ethelinda said. "I would suppose that he would know the local area well enough. He's a bit of a walking encyclopedia, as we like to tell him backstage."

"Diablo...an interesting name," Phoenix noted.

"Indeed, but it seems appropriate for a flame eater," Ethelinda remarked.

"He can eat fire?" Maya asked, suddenly intrigued and with a twinkle in her eye.

"Indeed he can," Ethelinda replied. "He's also adept at swallowing swords."

_Swords?_

"He can swallow swords too?" Maya had an even bigger smile on her face.

"And sometimes," Ethelinda continued, "he'll even eat a sword on fire."

"He'll eat swords on fire?" Maya was squealing again. _Oh no..._

"Nick!" Maya said, a look of determination on her face. "We've got to find this Diablo guy! He's become crucial to the case!"

_In a way, he has. But I think I still have something to ask Ethelinda._

"About intermission..." Phoenix began.

"Ah yes," Ethelinda replied. "I expected that you would ask me about the intermission. After all, I imagined it would help."

"It did," Phoenix said. "We managed to use the information to help the case."

"I'm glad I could help," Ethelinda smiled. "I imagine though you would like me to tell you what I did in intermission?"

"If you please," Phoenix asked.

"Certainly," Ethelinda said. "I decided to remain behind at the Hall here. You can understand the difficulty of slithering across the carnival grounds in a timely fashion."

_I can see how that's an issue._

"Although that night, I was approached by a very enthusiastic young man."

"Wait, really? Who was he?"

"The man? I'm afraid I can't say," Ethelinda replied. "I didn't catch his name. He was very sweet though. Offered me some of his popcorn, which I took a couple of pieces kindly. He also asked me for an autograph. Curious, isn't it?"

"That is curious..."

"In any case, he gave me a hug before leaving again," Ethelinda continued. "By that point, Diablo had come back. And that's about when the lights went out."

"The blackout."

"Indeed. It affected even us who were so far away from the carousel. We simply waited for the lights to come on again, and then Diablo went inside to announce the delay of the show due to the blackout. An understandable thing, I'm sure you understand."

"Of course," Phoenix nodded.

"Yeah, the show must go on but at least with some lights," Maya added.

"Not long after that, Ron came running back," Ethelinda continued. "He was absolutely terrified, and we knew by that point that something bad had happened. We only heard later about the murder."

"I see...I think that takes care of my questions for now."

"I'm glad I could be of service," Ethelinda smiled before slithering away back into the Hall.

* * *

Well well, a year later, and here I am again! Sorry it's been so long. To be honest, I got caught up in school work, as well as some of my other stories I've been working on. It didn't help that I wasn't sure where to go with this, but such is how the middle part is sometimes. When you know point A and point B but not how to connect one to the other: Writer's Block.

In any case, I'm back to working on this, and hopefully I won't get stuck again along the way. I'm sure you have all been eagerly awaiting the return of this story, and I certainly hope I'll be able to complete it and bring it to its wonderful conclusion!

Oh, and don't worry, you'll find out who Diablo is soon enough!


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Investigation II Part B

"What now, Nick?" Maya asked.

"I guess we'll have to find this Diablo guy if we want any more answers," Phoenix replied. _And I can think of at least one place to look and two people to ask._

And with that thought on his mind, Phoenix headed off with Maya on his heels.

May 6  
Pidisque Carnival  
Trailer Park

"Wait, we're coming back here again?"

Maya seemed surprised that they had returned to the metal trailer roundup just outside the carnival. But Phoenix knew what he was doing.

"We need to find Diablo, right?" he said, hoping to appeal to Maya's earlier enthusiasm for the character.

Maya smiled with delight, clapping her hands together and looking at Phoenix with a renewed twinkle in her eye. "That's right! We need to find him, don't we?" she asked.

"That's right," Phoenix replied. _Good ol' reliable Maya._

"Well, what do we having-hipping-hopping-harking-heralding here?"

Turning to the voice, the two were approached by none other than Ron, who bounced over as if nothing had happened that morning.

"Hiya Ron!" Maya smiled.

"Well hiya Maya!" the bouncing boy responded. "And good to see ya too, Nick!"

_Technically, it's Phoenix..._

"Good to see you too, Ron," Phoenix responded. "I hope you're doing well."

"Better than ever!" Ron said. "And after this morning? I'm just glad to be off that podium. It felt like there was so much pressure just being there in front of everyone.

"But you do a show in front of so many people usually every night, right?" Maya asked curiously.

"Well sure! But I can't exactly go bouncing about the courtroom, can I?" Ron replied.

"That's true," Maya nodded.

"So what brings yous folks back here?" Ron asked cheerfully, bouncing up again.

_As annoying as he was yesterday, it's great to see him back to his normal self._

"So you're feeling better after this morning, huh?" Phoenix asked.

"Absolutely-posi-tuda-ly-scoo-py-doo-by-woo!" Ron answered, hopping up and down as usual. "Getting that bundle of nerves off my chest and that information out of my system has made me light as a feather!"

"Really?" Maya asked, a curious look in her eye. "Would you float down if I tossed you in the air?"

"Hahaha, it sure feels like that!" Ron jumped particularly high this time, nearly enough to be on eye level as Phoenix.

_He's certainly more energetic than he was this morning._ "Speaking of which, Ethelinda told us she knew the prosecutor, Pierre Imaterr."

"Does she?" Ron asked, though it sound as though- "I guess I'm not surprised."

"Huh?"

"You're not surprised?" Maya asked.

"Not really," Ron said. "Actually, I should have mentioned that I knew Pierre before this morning too."

_Even _he _knows that weirdo?_

"You mean _you_ know who he is?" Phoenix asked, again failing to mask his surprise.

"Well sorta," Ron replied. "I don't really talk to the guy a whole lot, ya know?"

"Don't really talk to him?" Phoenix wondered aloud.

"Yeah, sure," Ron responded. "I mean, he hangs around with us a good bit, sure."

"Hangs out with you?"

"Yeah yeah," Ron answered. "Maybe I oughta cut to the chase and say he's probably the carnival lawyer."

"The carnival lawyer?...THE CARNIVAL LAWYER?"

"Shush! Don't go screaming things out like that," Ron said. "Who knows if..._he's_ around."

For some reason, Ron shuddered, but Phoenix was too distracted by this new development. Pierre is the lawyer for the carnival? How does that even work? How come he didn't hear about this sooner? And what does a lawyer do in a carnival anyway?

"What's Pierre do in this carnival?" Phoenix pressed.

"Well, I say 'lawyer,' but I think the more accurate term is 'legal advisor and coordinator,'" Ron corrected himself. "He basically helps out with setting us up in areas. He picked this spot himself, ya know."

"It is a very nice area," Maya noted.

"You bet! That's what makes Pierre the best at what he does," Ron continued. "And if one of us was in trouble, Pierre would help out our cases."

"But that makes it sound like he's a defense attorney," Phoenix said.

"I think you're thinking more of criminal cases," Ron replied. "He's usually upholding us in more civil cases. Lawsuits and the like, that sort of thing. Always making sure things go well."

"Interesting...I would never have guessed he was the carnival's legal advisor," Phoenix noted.

**Pierre Imaterr Profile Updated.**

"Anything else ya wanna ask about?" Ron asked.

"Actually, there was one thing I wanted to ask you about."

Phoenix pulled out the Initials from the Court Record again. "We've been seeing these initials around the carnival," Phoenix explained, showing Ron the Initials.

"Oh yeah, I think I've seen some on the sides of the trailers here," Ron said, inspecting the Initials. "Not to mention there's some written on part of a flap at the Hall of Freaks."

"You wouldn't happen to know who it is?" Phoenix asked.

"Ya know, no one comes to mind off the top of my head," Ron said, crossing his arms. "But...actually, now that I think about it..."

Ron posed and looked up thoughtfully, a finger tapping on his chin. "Yeah, ya know what," Ron said, "I think I've seen the guy in question."

"Wait, you've seen him?" Phoenix asked.

"Yeah, yeah! Now I remember!" Ron continued. "I saw a large bulky fellow marking up the side of the food stand a couple days ago."

"A couple of days ago...wait a minute..."

The three looked at each other and suddenly realized the time frame of when the stranger appeared, for it was only two days prior that a murder took place on the carousel.

"You don't think..." Maya began, but she never finished the sentence.

"I woulda thought he was just some harmless bozo," Ron said, "but now that I think about..."

"Looks like it's become a priority to find this ARC character," Phoenix noted.

**Initials Updated.**

"Man, I hope you find that weirdo," Ron said. "If he's got anything to do with this, I'd bounce on him till he confesses!"

_I hope I never have to see that..._ "Speaking of people to find..."

"Oh yeah!" Maya chimed in suddenly. "We're looking for Diablo! Have you seen him?"

"Diablo? You mean the fire-n-sword-eater? Yeah, I seen him," Ron answered.

"Really?" Maya responded, her eyes dazzling and sparkling again.

"Sure!" Ron replied. "In fact, I think I saw him heading over to the food stand not long ago, wanting to cook up a hot dog or something."

"The food stand where you went to that night for a snack," Phoenix said.

"Hey, don't go bringing that up now!" Ron snorted. "I was just getting into a good mood and everything!"

"S-sorry..."

"But yeah, he oughta be over by the food stand unless he's moved on from there," Ron said. "Ya better hurry if you're gonna catch him!"

"Thanks for the tip! Guess we better go track him down and fast!"

"Good luck to ya!" Ron said. "If you need me, I'll be here."

With that, Ron hopped back over to his trailer and shut the door. Phoenix checked his watch for the time, about mid-afternoon.

"Come on, Maya," he said. "We better catch up to Diablo before he leaves that food stand."

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Maya said, and she bounded off in the direction of the food stand, Phoenix right behind her.

* * *

Profiles

Sir Cameron Fearanst - the victim, found dead on the back of a white stallion. A professional gambler, he frequently plays on the roulette wheel.  
Ellie Ipssiss Fearanst - the defendant, 15-year old daughter of the victim. She plays off being innocent well.  
Olivia Vale Fearanst - the victim's wife. She was the one who sought my help for the case against her daughter.  
ARC - the initials left at the crime scene. Whoever this is, they might be the only other suspect besides Ellie.  
Ron D. Globus - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Buoyant Boy" for his ability to stay above water...and for his surprisingly youthful appearance!  
Ethelinda Nejem - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Snake Lady" due to her appearance. She's really good at reading people.  
Dahnjent Pidisque - owner and ringmaster of the famous Pidisque Carnival, and an eccentric insane fellow. A good friend of Sir Cameron's.  
Pierre Imaterr - the prosecutor of this case, and the legal advisor for the Pidisque Carnival. He's a very strange man overall.  
Diablo - eater of flames and swords and flaming swords. He seems to know a thing or two about the carnival's history.

Evidence

Attorney Badge - I keep this with me as proof that I'm an attorney. It only does so much for me.  
Magatama - A mystical tool that allows me to look into people's hearts and break the locks that keep them from telling the whole truth.  
Autopsy Report - Victim was stabbed in the back. Time of Death: 8:14 PM. Death was near instantaneous due to spinal shock.  
Carnival Map - A map of the carnival made by ARC. It's an accurate rendering of the layout.  
Loose Tile - A tile hanging by a hinge from the carousel's big top over the crime scene. Curious little thing.  
Initials - "ARC", left on a unicorn on the carousel. Apparently another set of initials were left on a food stand the day of the murder...  
Bag of Peanuts - A now-empty bag of peanuts that Ron dropped in the Hall of Mirrors. They were unopened when Maya found them.  
Casino Letter - A letter from a casino regarding a large sum of money owed by Sir Cameron  
Outage Report - A power outage occurred at 8:13 PM on May 5 due to a cut wire. A backup generator was activated at 8:15 PM while maintenance replaced the wire.  
Murder Weapon - The hideous knife used to kill Sir Cameron Fearanst. It was also used to cut a wire.  
Ron's Drawing - A depiction of what Ron saw. It shows Sir Cameron and Ellie riding the carousel, and then there's a glint above their heads.

* * *

As always, the plot thickens. I've gone ahead and uploaded the Court Record again, adding in the additional changes in this chapter as well as noting Diablo from the last one. Now perhaps we'll be able to meet this strange enigmatic character in the next chapter!


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Investigation III Part C

May 6  
Pidisque Carnival  
Food Stand

"_**HALT!"**_

Just as Phoenix and Maya approached, a booming voice stopped their progress. The man before them stood there, his back turned to them. Then he looked straight up at the sky, held up a hot dog fully loaded with ketchup, mustard, relish, and onions, opened up his mouth, and devoured the entire thing in a single bite. The man maintained this position while he pulled out a small dagger and gently pushed it into his mouth all the way to the hilt before withdrawing it and making a giant swallowing sound.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh..." The man made a contented sigh as he turned back to Phoenix and Maya. He wore a red-and-black-striped outfit, one that would have been appropriate in design for clowns if not for the color scheme. The outfit covered most of his bulky body, save for his hands which carried chains on each side that held several small bladed weapons. The man wore a fiery cloak that draped over his broad shoulders, as well as a pair of shades over his eyes. He had his blonde hair spiked back behind his head, which almost reminded Phoenix of his own hairstyle.

"I'd ask who you were and to state your business," the man said in a deep voice, "but I am already aware of all of that."

_Whoa...this guy is...really tough..._

Then the man laughed heartily, his gut bouncing with his diaphragm. "I understand my appearance intimidates you, Mr. Wright," the man said, as though he had heard Phoenix's thoughts. "But don't worry, I'm well aware that I'm not the most kind-looking person around. But then again, who is?"

The man laughed again, bending over even at his own joke. Phoenix and Maya looked at each other before resuming their gaze back up at the man as he straightened up.

"You must be Diablo, then," Phoenix addressed.

"Aye, that is who I am," the man replied. "And I already know of you two, Mr. Wright and Miss Fey."

"How...how did you know?" Maya asked, stunned.

"I am Diablo!" he answered, bringing out a full-on theatrical act. "Master over the fires that burn in Hell, devourer of their impurities. Conqueror over every blade forged by human hands. And recently, omniscient psychic, seeing what others cannot see while unable to see what they see."

Phoenix and Maya looked on as Diablo twirled a pair of large curved blades he had pulled out of his cloak, breathed fire at a point, and eventually stop and put everything back into place. Diablo turned back to them and nodded his head. Except that he didn't quite turn back to them.

"Um, Diablo sir?" Maya noted. "We're over here."

"What? Oh, yes," Diablo said, correcting himself and facing back to Phoenix and Maya.

"Wait a minute...unable to see what they see...are you blind?" Phoenix asked.

"Indeed I am," Diablo replied. "Blind as a mole in the light of the sun, a worm in the earth, a minnow in the abyss of the ocean, lured away by the light of an anglerfish."

"Then how did you know it was us that walked up to you?" Phoenix asked.

"Surely you've heard how when one loses one of their senses, the others become heightened and stronger, yes?" Diablo asked back. "My vision has disappeared, but the carnival is a quiet place. I could hear you coming all the way from the trailer park, where you talked with Ron. And before that, I heard you speak with Ethelinda at the Hall of Freaks."

"That's...that's really cool!" Maya squealed, clapping her hands together.

Diablo laughed again. "You would not be the first to note my talents as, how you say, 'cool,'" he told her. "But I imagine that you have very specific questions to ask me, Mr. Wright, and now that I have finished my snack, I am more than willing to answer them."

_Maybe I should ask how he's doing..._

"I'm doing very well, and I appreciate your sentiments," Diablo said. "I'll also apologize in advance if I answer your questions before you ask them."

"Th-that's alright!" _This guy's _really _freaking me out!_

Diabloe laughed heartily again. "It's okay, I'll try not to do so to maintain a more natural conversation for you," he said, though it was evident he was enjoying this far too much.

"So you're a fire and sword eater?" Maya asked, the delight glowing off her face. _It would probably blind the poor man if he weren't blind already._

"Indubitably," Diablo replied. "My talents in making an appetite of flames and blades is looked upon with great enthusiasm from the crowd. Or at least I'd like to think so. I never really have seen the face of a person smiling."

"They probably enjoy it even more!" Maya smiled, clapping her hands together once more.

"I suppose so," Diablo said. "After all, it's not every day you see a blind man do such daredevil stunts."

And he laughed again. _What an unusually cheerful person._

"You've heard about the murder though, right?" Phoenix asked.

"How can I not?" Diablo replied. "The police were all around just yesterday. And then I heard you two walking around as well. I suspect you found the owner in the Hall of Mirrors too."

"We did!" Maya said, beaming even more.

Diablo chuckled and reached out his hand. "I can tell you're an enthusiastic one, young Miss Fey," he said, patting through the air until he finally patted Phoenix's head. "Although your hair is far spikier than I thought it would be."

"Actually, that's my hair," Phoenix said, a little embarrassed.

"Ah...my apologies, Mr. Wright," Diablo said. "Even so, I admire your hairstyle as it reminds me of my own."

_No surprises there._ "How much have you heard?"

"I know that Sir Cameron Fearanst, our long-time accountant, was the victim," Diablo replied, "and that Pierre Imaterr is the prosecuting lawyer, which is curious since he is also our legal advisor."

"Curious? Do you know something about Pierre Imaterr?"

"I only know from what I hear," Diablo said. "And naturally, I hear many many things about Pierre."

"What kinds of things?"

"Mostly things regarding his travels outside the carnival. He runs his own legal business on the side, and we are not his sole client or interest."

"You've heard a lot of things, I understand," Phoenix pressed. "I want to know if you know anything about the situation with Pierre and Ethelinda."

And just like that, the area darkened, and the chains appeared. Three rather large Psyche-Locks appeared and secured the chains in place.

"It is not my place to say such things to just anyone," Diablo replied, a stern and grave tone in his voice. "I know you understand, Mr. Wright."

"W-w-without a doubt." _Why are my legs shaking so much?_

Diablo laughed loudly again. "I'm sorry, I seem to have intimidated you too much," he said. "I'll let you pry if you feel you have evidence I can see."

_Evidence he can see? Oh man..._

"Perhaps you have other things you can ask about in the meantime," Diablo suggested.

"Now that you mention it," Phoenix said, "I heard from a colleague that you had left during the intermission at the Hall of Freaks."

"Indeed I did," Diablo replied. "I went to go check up on my knife collection."

"Your...knife collection?"

"Of course! A sword eater must know how to eat a variety of blades if he's to maintain his noble status in the sacred art," Diablo explicated, an air of grace in his hand motions as he indicated a hidden majesty to his talents. "Although..."

"Although?"

"Well, it seems that I misplaced one of my knives at one point, as I found one to have been missing."

"A missing knife?"

"That's pretty suspicious," Maya noted.

"And rightly so," Diablo nodded. "I fear the worst of fates has befallen that knife. Perhaps if one could allow me to hold onto my knife that I might confirm that it is indeed mine, I may be of further assistance to you."

_First he keeps his lips shut, and now he wants me to go fetch him a knife? I hope it's not the one I think it might be..._

"Don't worry yourself over that now though," Diablo said with a smile. "Perhaps you have something more to ask of me?"

"Actually, now that you bring it up," Phoenix said, rummaging through his Court Record, "there is one other thing. I know you can't really see this, but I've been finding evidence tied together by a set of initials. As I understand it, these initials belong to someone."

"Ah yes, the enigmatic carvings and drawings that have appeared across the carnival," Diablo nodded. "Indeed, I know the man responsible for them all."

"You do?"

"That's great! Who is he?" Maya asked.

"I believe he's actually the bike shop owner," Diablo answered.

"The bike shop owner?" _The guy who runs the bike shop across the street has time to randomly leave his initials on stuff?_

"I haven't the foggiest as to why he does it either, but he comes around every now and again to do just that," Diablo nodded. "It's the strangest behavior of any bike salesman I've ever known."

_Or any bike salesman period. _"Do you know where the bike shop is?"

"Certainly," Diablo replied. "You just need to walk across the street from the Hall of Freaks. Very simple walk really."

"Thanks for the info. I imagine I'll be talking with you again very soon," Phoenix said.

"Undoubtedly," Diablo nodded. "If you need me, I will be in my trailer, polishing my knives."

_...how does a blind man polish knives?_

"The same way Polish men do!" Diablo said, laughing again at his own joke as he walked off. Then he turned around and called out, "You should also talk with the owner! I believe he's taken an interest in your involvement with this case!"

_Talk to the owner? You mean..._

Phoenix remembered the estranged owner of the carnival. But then again, no one was really normal at this place. Ron, Ethelinda, even Diablo - everyone around here seemed to have a quirk of sorts. Dahnjent's just happened to be the more bizarre.

_But what does the owner want to talk about?_

* * *

Profiles

Sir Cameron Fearanst - the victim, found dead on the back of a white stallion. A professional gambler, he frequently plays on the roulette wheel.  
Ellie Ipssiss Fearanst - the defendant, 15-year old daughter of the victim. She plays off being innocent well.  
Olivia Vale Fearanst - the victim's wife. She was the one who sought my help for the case against her daughter.  
ARC - the initials left at the crime scene. Whoever this is, they might be the only other suspect besides Ellie.  
Ron D. Globus - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Buoyant Boy" for his ability to stay above water...and for his surprisingly youthful appearance!  
Ethelinda Nejem - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Snake Lady" due to her appearance. She's really good at reading people.  
Dahnjent Pidisque - owner and ringmaster of the famous Pidisque Carnival, and an eccentric insane fellow. A good friend of Sir Cameron's.  
Pierre Imaterr - the prosecutor of this case, and the legal advisor for the Pidisque Carnival. He's a very strange man overall.  
Diablo - eater of flames and swords and flaming swords. He seems to know a thing or two about the carnival's history.

Evidence

Attorney Badge - I keep this with me as proof that I'm an attorney. It only does so much for me.  
Magatama - A mystical tool that allows me to look into people's hearts and break the locks that keep them from telling the whole truth.  
Autopsy Report - Victim was stabbed in the back. Time of Death: 8:14 PM. Death was near instantaneous due to spinal shock.  
Carnival Map - A map of the carnival made by ARC. It's an accurate rendering of the layout.  
Loose Tile - A tile hanging by a hinge from the carousel's big top over the crime scene. Curious little thing.  
Initials - "ARC", left on a unicorn on the carousel. Apparently another set of initials were left on a food stand the day of the murder...  
Bag of Peanuts - A now-empty bag of peanuts that Ron dropped in the Hall of Mirrors. They were unopened when Maya found them.  
Casino Letter - A letter from a casino regarding a large sum of money owed by Sir Cameron  
Outage Report - A power outage occurred at 8:13 PM on May 5 due to a cut wire. A backup generator was activated at 8:15 PM while maintenance replaced the wire.  
Murder Weapon - The hideous knife used to kill Sir Cameron Fearanst. It was also used to cut a wire.  
Ron's Drawing - A depiction of what Ron saw. It shows Sir Cameron and Ellie riding the carousel, and then there's a glint above their heads.

* * *

I'll admit, Diablo's first appearance as the fire-eater on the outside of the Hall of Freaks was merely for flavor, but knowing that I had such a character at my disposal, how could I just toss him aside so easily? And then Diablo decided to become a large enigmatic character with a knife collection. At first, when I thought of Diablo, I imagined him as a mix between Sissel from Ghost Trick and one of the Firebreather Trainers from the Pokemon games. It just so happened that he then became much larger, much grander, much more endearing and personal character as I began describing him. Now I kinda imagine him like a King Solomon-esque figure. With a beard! How estranged can this carnival get?


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Investigation II Part D

May 6  
Pidisque Carnival  
Hall of Mirrors

"Shouldn't we be talking to the bike shop owner instead?" Maya asked.

"Diablo said Dahnjent was looking for me," Phoenix said. "It's better to talk to him first and figure out what he wants before we head off the carnival grounds."

"You think so?" Maya pondered aloud, but by that point, Phoenix had already entered the Hall of Mirrors through the exit. Tracking down the same trick mirror they found last time, the two entered into the same dimly-lit office as before, where the same lowly ringmaster sat at his desk, scribbling away at something before turning to his guests again.

"Again, guests of mine arrive!" Dahnjent announced. "Mine guests of arrive again! Arrive of again, guests, mine! Guests arrive again of mi-"

"Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Pidisque," Phoenix interrupted, "but I'd like to get right down to the point. Diablo said you had something you needed to talk to me about."

"Frightfully so!" Dahnjent replied. "But what would fun be outwith the querying question quickies! Check me mate, and king my fish!"

_Suddenly, I'm reminded of why I was _really _worried about coming over her..._

"Well, I guess I should ask how you're handling all of this," Phoenix conceded.

"Splendidly dashing! Bever netter!" Dahnjent answered with a chuckle. "Although there's still the being of a murdering having taking place on the grounds loanararily temped to myself."

_Hmm, now that I think about it..._ "You were helped out with that by Pierre, weren't you?"

Dahnjent gasped in surprise. "My my, you figure haved many a thing since last I laid my light-absorbing visuals upon your visage! Indeed, Pierre assisted with the assistable assisting that needed assistance!"

"I've been hearing quite a bit about Pierre ever since I came here," Phoenix continued. "Mostly from the other carnies. I'd like to know what exactly his position was here at the carnival."

Dahnjent chuckled. "My imagination imagines you've imagined or else imaginated with a fellow imaginary about the imaginings imagined not long ago," Dahnjent said. "That is to say, I know you know what I know that you know."

Phoenix was thrown off again by Dahnjent's quirk but soon recomposed himself and said, "He was the legal advisor for the carnival, wasn't he?"

"Ha-ha! And soly perfect," Dahnjent replied.

"How did you meet him?" Phoenix asked.

"Oh, I encountered the diamond in the rough patch of earth across the lake," Dahnjent replied.

"You met him while overseas?"

"Precisely! Your ear is training to be understanding me much more readilying," Dahnjent noted with a smile.

"Um...thanks?" _I'm not sure if that's an actual compliment or not..._

"Any in case, we met and approached each other and chitter-chattered and hee-hawed and eventually settled upon an arrangeable settlement that left everyone in goodly perfect spiritualities!" Dahnjent continued.

"So you two have been working together for years then, huh?" Maya asked.

"Indeedly so!" Dahnjent nodded. "To his credential creditariness, he's salvaged us out of the fiery waters multitimes!"

_I don't think that's how water and fire work..._

"And that's about the historical factualizationized version of everything relatable," Dahnjent finished.

"You say he's gotten you out of...well, a tough spot a few times," Phoenix pressed.

"Severally times! Like the one time over in Siberia with the tiger Siberians! Or that Guatemalan curator for the National Museum of Guatemala! Or that one casino owner, though I'm unsure if that care has been taken of."

"That one casino owner?"

"Certainlikely! I know Ethelinda's let it slip about that compromising incidence?" Dahnjent asked.

_That's right, I remember Ethelinda talking about that..._

"Ahh, your face says all of the everythings," Dahnjent said, noting Phoenix's look. "Indeedly so, the owner of _that_ casino is the owner I speak of."

"And what do you mean you're not sure if that's been taken care of?" Phoenix asked.

"Well, after the math of that insidious incidence, we never heard a word from them again," Dahnjent replied. "Bizarre too, given what happened."

"That's the other thing," Phoenix said. "I know what happened regarding the incident, but I don't understand why it happened. Why would Sir Cameron do such a thing?"

"You are meaning to referring to that stealing of monetary goldness?" Dahnjent asked.

"I suppose that's what I'm looking at," Phoenix said.

Dahnjent lowered his head. "I'm afraid I know of what you speak of," he said, a sudden grave tone in his voice, "but that is something I can't say."

"You mean...you know why he stole the money?"

Darkness covers the room, a rattle of chains clinking and clanking, and just like that Phoenix had encountered yet another Psyche-Lock to contend with. Dahnjent looked up at Phoenix, a dull misery replacing the shining enthusiasm in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Wright," he said. "I can't tell you."

_So many secrets in this carnival creating so many questions...what am I gonna do with all of this?_

Dahnjent smiled. "Don't fretter about all of this," he said. "It takes an ingenious to unlock a world of secrets. Ours is such a world, and I suspect you're an extragenious."

_...I think that was a compliment...and a made-up word..._

"But perhaps in the meaning time, there is something else I can be helping you with?" Dahnjent inquired.

_Oh yeah!_

"Actually, Diablo did mention that you wanted to see us for something," Phoenix brought up.

"Ah yes, the primordiality that brought you to me to here to hear the requestable requesting I requested!" Dahnjent yelped, fleshing out back into his normal self. "Yes yes yes, Mr. Wright, I had nearly forgotten in the spur of our discussations!"

He looked around the room as if to check for some sort of hidden camera or microphone briefly before leaning closely to Phoenix and whispering, "There's a snooper snooping about, snoopifying the carnival with his snoopy snoop ways."

"Sorry?"

"I think he's talking about a guy lurking around the carnival," Maya sa-

"SHHHHH! Don't mention it aloud," Dahnjent said. "It could be a person, could be a beast - it could even be a snipe!"

_...well, I guess it's good to see him like this again._

"Task me a simple do, Mr. Wright," Dahnjent whispered, "and snipe the snooper!"

"What?!"

"You know, catch it! I've never been good at catchupulating snipes, as you can tell," Dahnjent said, "but if it snoops unlike a snipe, then you can snoop and catchupulate it yourself!"

_Now I know he's making these words up..._

"Uh, sure, I'll take a look about," Phoenix said. "Any ideas in particular?"

At that remark, Dahnjent laughed loudly and heartily for a few minutes, prompting a look from Phoenix to Maya, one which was reciprocated with a look and a shrug. Eventually, Dahnjent himself recuperated and stood up once again, noting that Phoenix and Maya were still looking at him.

"Ah...you weren't jestering a joking manner," he said. Then he cleared his throat and said, "The carousel would be the absolutest place to bestify the snoop. After all, murders attract attention, and snoops snoop for attentive snooping!"

_He has a point there..._

"Alright, we'll keep an eye out for him...or her...or it," Phoenix said, trying to figure out the pronoun for this snooping snooper.

"Diamondly splendid!" Dahnjent said. "That will be all, Mr. Wright!"

_Expect me back later...unfortunately..._

And with that, Phoenix and Maya left the confusion to its business back on the desk inside the Hall of Mirrors.

* * *

Good grief, I can NOT lay off the Psyche-Locks today, can I? What is that now, 6 Psyche-Locks? Eh, I'm sure Phoenix has had more. But he still has to talk to that bike owner! But who's this apparent snoop around the carousel? Why is he snooping? And why can't he go snooping somewhere else? We've got crimes to solve, cases to make, and clients to save! When will the madness end?

Side note: the school year has started once again, so updates will be about this slow if not slower unfortunately. I will work on this as often as I can though when I'm able to!


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Investigation II Part E

May 6  
Pidisque Carnival  
Carousel

The duo wandered back over to the infamous carousel, their ongoing investigation carrying over from their visit to Dahnjent.

_Apparently whoever's been sneaking around the carnival should be around this area...although I'm not sure if Dahnjent would really know that,_ Phoenix thought to himself.

"You think we'll find that snooper around here?" Maya asked curiously.

"I'm not really sure," Phoenix replied. "For all we know, the snoop could be-"

FLASH

A curious click and a sudden flash of light attracted the attention of the duo as a cameraman appeared from behind one of the lions on the carousel.

"Ah-HA! I knew it!" the fellow shouted out. "Snooping around like it's nobody's business, dressed in curious business attire, unable to detect the most sly of all reporters in the business! I have found the culprit to this case with the greatest of ease!"

_...somehow this isn't as surprising as it should be._

Phoenix finally managed to orient himself around the eccentric cameraman, taking in the beret upon his head, the retro camera he brandished as he wound the film back, the vest he wore along with appeared to be suspenders, the thick-rimmed glasses - there was no escaping the strange folk this carnival attracted.

"Now to grab some more pictures of this estranged perpetrator!" the man said quietly, hustling up to Phoenix and stuffing his camera in Phoenix's face. "Quick, why'd you do it? What is your job here? Do you have any connections to the House of Freaks? The Hall of Mirrors? Are you a carnie or a shop folk? Which is better, cotton candy or popcorn? Where'd the knife come from? What's your beef with Sir Cameron? Do you prefer the slots, roulette, or maybe you're-"

"Whoa whoa whoa! Slow down! I didn't kill anyone!" Phoenix interjected, hoping to stop the stranger from pressing him further.

The stranger blinked and adjusted his glasses. "Wait, do you work here?" he asked.

"No, I'm just a defense attorney," Phoenix answered.

"Ohhhh...OHHHH! You're the guy from the trial!" the cameraman shouted out, waving a finger in Phoenix's face. "But you don't look the same without your bowtie."

And thus Phoenix fell to the ground in sheer amazement over the stranger's lack of recognition.

"This is Phoenix Wright, the guy defending Ellie for the trial," Maya huffed, offended over the idea that someone would suggest Phoenix as a prosecutor.

"Oh. OH. Ohhhhhhhhh, gotcha!" the stranger said. "Sorry, my glasses aren't what they used to be - especially since these aren't even my glasses!"

The stranger then swapped out the glasses he was wearing with another strangely identical pair of thick-rimmed glasses and adjusted them accordingly.

"Much better!" the stranger said, then he extended his hand and introduced himself, "Name's Rudy, Rudy Uscentre, local photographer for the Radi N' Us newspaper."

Phoenix, now having stood back up, shook Rudy's hand. "It's nice to meet you." _Somewhat._

"And I'm Maya Fey!" Maya chimed in.

"OF THE FEY CLAN?!" Rudy immediately flashed his camera and snapped several pictures. "This is a rare opportunity! What are the secret clan techniques? Is it true your aunt tried to usurp control from you using your cousin? What are your favorite foods? Can I get an autograph? What are you doing Wednesday night? Maybe we could-"

"Not to interrupt, but I think we've got some questions to ask you," Phoenix interjected, stepping between Rudy and Maya so as not to delay the investigation further.

"Oh yes, of course," Rudy said, collecting himself. "Ask away then!"

"Well, tell me a bit about yourself," Phoenix started.

"Well, I'm just like your regular Joe," Rudy said. "I take pictures, work a 9-5 job, eat ramen noodles every other weekday, work out of a shack of an apartment, write down a bunch of things, play the triangle, have a fond interest in color balance and composition, plan on taking a course in..."

_Why do I have the strangest feeling of deja vu right now?_

"...and I like to think I'm a natural at charming ducks!" Rudy finished.

"...well...that's...something."

"Lollipops are a lot of fun, though, aren't they?" Maya asked.

"Oh, the swirls on some, the various flavors..."

_Maybe I should ask about something else now._

"You said you were a reporter at the Radi N' Us newspaper?" Phoenix asked.

"Yeah, Radi N' Us, nice little newspaper, working really hard!" Rudy smiled.

"I don't think I've heard of it before," Maya wondered. A brief pause followed with nothing but Rudy's smile. Then Rudy sighed.

"Who am I kidding...it's just me at the moment," Rudy admitted.

"You run a newspaper by yourself?" Maya gasped.

"If you can call it a newspaper," Rudy sighed. "All I've done is take photographs for potential stories. But when it comes to writing the actual articles, I'm just lost. I couldn't write an article to save my life."

"That's...rough," Phoenix found was the only thing he could say.

"It's fine, really," Rudy said. "Maybe I just need to find someone talented enough to write stuff. If only I knew who could do that..."

_Maybe I should ask about something else now._

"So how come you've been sneaking around the carnival?" Phoenix asked.

"What other reason does a reporter sneak around places? To catch a story in the act!" Rudy answered, a renewed smile on his face as he held up his camera. "And I think I've stumbled onto the scoop of the century!"

"Really? What would that be?" Maya asked.

"Oh believe me, it's going to be big!" Rudy said. "I managed to take a vitally important picture!"

_Vitally important?_ "You're sure of that?"

"Believe me, I've seen a lot of surprising things in my career," Rudy said, "but this takes the cake and sends it skyrocketing to the moon!"

Rudy then reached into his bag and pulled out a small film canister.

"You see this? It's got the greatest piece of evidence in one of these photos!" Rudy explained.

"Wait, you've got negatives?" Phoenix asked.

"Negatives, please! This is the 21st century, Mr. Wright!" Rudy said. "These photos were from a couple weeks ago, back when the carnival was still setting up. They're already developed and everything!"

"You mean..._you have the picture with you?!"_

"Somewhere in here, but yeah, I've got it." Rudy smiled a devilish grin. "I bet you'd love to get your hands on it, wouldn't you?"

"If it's really that vital to the case-"

"Well too bad! If you want it, you're gonna have to do something for me," Rudy said.

"Something...for you?"

"You see these glasses?" Rudy pulled out the glasses he had previously stowed away, a strangely similar pair to the ones he was currently wearing. "I found these while I was looking around the carnival. I mistook them for my own, but the lenses are all wrong. I want you to help me find the real owner of these glasses."

"You mean find the guy missing their glasses?" Maya asked, restating-

"Exactly what I said!" Rudy replied.

"How long ago did you find those glasses?" Phoenix asked.

"Probably a couple days ago or something like that? I found them just by the carousel over here," Rudy said.

_A couple days ago...that would put them right by the carousel the night of Sir Cameron's death!_

"Don't worry, Rudy," Phoenix said. "We'll help you find the owner of those glasses."

**Glasses added to the Court Record**

"I'll be right here if you need me!" Rudy said. "And let me know if those glasses' owner turns up!"

"Will do," Phoenix said with a smile. "Thanks for your help."

_So many secrets, and now a mysterious pair of glasses on top of it. I've got a hunch that the bike shop owner's going to provide us with a lot of answers._

* * *

Profiles

Sir Cameron Fearanst - the victim, found dead on the back of a white stallion. A professional gambler, he frequently plays on the roulette wheel.  
Ellie Ipssiss Fearanst - the defendant, 15-year old daughter of the victim. She plays off being innocent well.  
Olivia Vale Fearanst - the victim's wife. She was the one who sought my help for the case against her daughter.  
ARC - the initials left at the crime scene. A few other places are marked with these initials, all leading to the bike shop owner.  
Ron D. Globus - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Buoyant Boy" for his ability to stay above water...and for his surprisingly youthful appearance!  
Ethelinda Nejem - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Snake Lady" due to her appearance. She's really good at reading people.  
Dahnjent Pidisque - owner and ringmaster of the famous Pidisque Carnival, and an eccentric insane fellow. A good friend of Sir Cameron's.  
Pierre Imaterr - the prosecutor of this case, and the legal advisor for the Pidisque Carnival. He's a very strange man overall.  
Diablo - eater of flames and swords and flaming swords. He seems to know a thing or two about the carnival's history.  
Rudy Uscentre - an enthusiastic photographer working for the Radi N' Us local newspaper. He may have captured an important photograph!

Evidence

Attorney Badge - I keep this with me as proof that I'm an attorney. It only does so much for me.  
Magatama - A mystical tool that allows me to look into people's hearts and break the locks that keep them from telling the whole truth.  
Autopsy Report - Victim was stabbed in the back. Time of Death: 8:14 PM. Death was near instantaneous due to spinal shock.  
Carnival Map - A map of the carnival made by ARC. It's an accurate rendering of the layout.  
Loose Tile - A tile hanging by a hinge from the carousel's big top over the crime scene. Curious little thing.  
Initials - "ARC", left on a unicorn on the carousel. Apparently another set of initials were left on a food stand the day of the murder...  
Bag of Peanuts - A now-empty bag of peanuts that Ron dropped in the Hall of Mirrors. They were unopened when Maya found them.  
Casino Letter - A letter from a casino that forced Sir Cameron to pay for a debt he owed. They might still influence the case.  
Outage Report - A power outage occurred at 8:13 PM on May 5 due to a cut wire. A backup generator was activated at 8:15 PM while maintenance replaced the wire.  
Murder Weapon - The hideous knife used to kill Sir Cameron Fearanst and sever an electrical wire. Apparently it was stolen from Diablo's collection of knives.  
Ron's Drawing - A depiction of what Ron saw. It shows Sir Cameron and Ellie riding the carousel, and then there's a glint above their heads.  
Glasses - someone appears to have lost their glasses; they were found near the carousel the night of Sir Cameron's death

* * *

How long has it been since this last updated, a few months? I had such a good string of updates for a while there! I'm actually glad I managed to work on this story a little, I might be able to power through it despite all the work I've got going on!

Rudy Uscentre and the Radi N' Us newspaper are primarily based on the terms "radius" and "center". I ended up going with Rudy instead of calling him Radi Uscentre just to make him sound a bit more realistic, similarly to how I named such characters as Ellie, Pierre, and Ron. I figured I'd need Rudy's photography in order to build the case for later, and he's already living up to his vitality!

So now Phoenix and Maya will finally confront the bike shop owner! What will they learn? What will they discover? What could possibly go wrong? Or Wright?

Huh? Huh? No? Stop it? Never do that again?

...oh it's good to be back.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Investigation II Part F

May 6  
?

"Is this it?" Maya asked.

"I think so."

"It really doesn't look like much for a bike shop..."

Indeed, the duo found themselves outside of a rather plain bike shop. The sign for it, Reynolds' Cycles, was worn down, and the whole place looked like it could use a makeover. Walking inside didn't change too much in terms of appearance, save for the number of bicycles around and about. The whole place smelled of rubber and polish, both aged along with the shop itself and the lowly fellow tending to one of the bikes.

"Excuse me, sir?" Phoenix approached the man tenderly, not wanting to startle him.

"I'll be with you in a minute sir," the man replied, an oddly high-pitched voice for one of his size. He appeared to be a large manchild of sorts, his lone ponytail coming down neatly in the back. He tinkered with the bicycle for a couple more minutes before turning around to face his newly arrived guests, his bushy beard a prominently striking feature upon his visage.

"Welcome to Reynolds' Cycles," the man announced. "I'm Reynolds, and these are my cycles!"

"Those are some neat cycles!" Maya chipped in.

"They should be! I made em myself!" Reynolds said enthusiastically.

"Pleased to meet you Reynolds," Phoenix said. "I'm Phoenix Wright, and this is my assistant Maya Fey."

"Interesting way of putting it," Reynolds smirked. "So did you come for a bike? I'm sure the little lady would love to try out a bicycle."

"That sounds like fun!" Maya chimed.

"Well then, have a go on this beauty," Reynolds said, handing over a small bicycle for Maya to try. As Maya boarded the bicycle, Phoenix noticed Reynolds sweating a little and pulling at his collar.

"This feels great!" Maya said, trying out various riding positions on the bicycle. "Man, I wish I had enough money to get me one of these. That'd be great!"

"Um, yes, great, great indeed..." Reynolds seemed to be acting up a bit, sweating a little more. "Perhaps I could...if it's no trouble really...could I snatch a cou-I mean, snag a cou-I mean, TAKE a couple of pictures?"

"Oh cool, I always wanted to be a model!" Maya said, prompting the cue for Reynolds to bring out his small camera phone and start taking pictures of Maya as she imagined herself speeding down the streets on the bike.

_And I thought the folks at the carnival were weird..._

"Oh! Yes! Like that! Keep it up! Mmm! Yes! Lovely! Astounding! Fantastic! Ungh! Oooh! Oh yeah! Do it like that! Yes! More of that! Mmm-mmm!" Reynolds' remarks seemed to disturb Phoenix while Maya remained blissfully ignorant of them, still lost in her high speed fantasy.

"Aaaaaaaaand beautiful!" Reynolds said, ending his barrage of camera phone quality photo fire and examining the pictures even more closely. "Ohhh, these will do nicely. If it's alright, I'd like to...make some posters for...promotional purposes."

"Were they really that good? Maybe I should get one!" Maya said cheerfully.

"Um, yes, well, I'll see what I can do about that..." Reynolds said, tugging at his collar.

_What a perv... _"Perhaps it's for the best that you know Maya's age before you start hanging posters for 'promotional purposes,'" Phoenix said, air-quoting the last part in particular.

"Shoot! You're right! I can't have underage girls as promotional propaganda for my store!" Reynolds cried out, a dramatic hand over his forehead as though he had been stricken down. "It is against my very nature, and on my honor, I must request kindly your age to know if it is alright to utilize such posters."

"I might not fit the bill then," Maya said sadly. "I'm only 15."

"Alas! If not but one more year were to pass!" Reynolds called out in anguish.

_Try three years, wise guy._

And in just a blind a hurry as he had taken his pictures, Reynolds began to delete them from his phone again.

"The images will remain in my brain, but I will have no physical proof they were ever here!" he said sadly as he rapidly pressed buttons to delete the photos. "Woe is me, woe is all of us, but most of all woe is me..."

_Maybe I should distract him with some light conversation._

"So Reynolds, tell us a little about yourself," Phoenix said.

"Ah yes, to know the real Adrian Reynolds Cycle is to know of the enigma wrapped in the riddle wrapped in the mystery of life," Reynolds said rather...wait a minute...

"Your name's Adrian Reynolds Cycle?" Phoenix asked.

"Indeed, but I usually just go by Reynolds nowadays," Reynolds replied. "After all, that's the name I put on the shop door."

"It's definitely catchy," Maya said.

"Yes..." Reynolds then sighed rather deeply. "I must apologize for my behavior earlier. It was unprofessional of one such as myself."

"What, with the pictures? Oh that's no big deal!" Maya smiled.

"May I pay a compliment then?" Reynolds asked hesitantly.

"Hmm?" Maya mused curiously.

"Miss Fey...you have a beautiful derriere," Reynolds said, blushing madly.

"Ehhh?!" Maya was greatly startled by this.

"I apologize, but you must understand me better to know this is a compliment of the highest order!" Reynolds continued, a fire now blazing in his eyes. "There are two great loves of mine in this world, the love I share with bicycles and cycling, and the love I share with the curvaceousness of a fine badonkadonk!"

_...what the-_

Reynolds then stood upon the shop counter and continued forth, "One cannot possibly be conceived without the other! The action of cycling brings a need for one's heinie to become one with bicycle! And a glorious pushin' cushion cannot possibly be as appreciated as when it is seated upon the machination that is the transportation vehicle known as the bicycle! And so it is through my undying loves for these two godsends - the cycle and the booty - that I have opened the great Reynolds' Cycles bike shop! Amen!"

Reynolds took a great moment to breathe after this and pose thoughtfully atop his counter, a stunned Phoenix and Maya gaping at him.

"..."

"..."

"..."

...

"Eh-hem...anywho, that's a little bit about my shop and myself," Reynolds concluded, dismounting the counter with ease.

_...what just happened?_

Recollecting himself and his thoughts, an act Maya could only hope to duplicate, Phoenix asked, "So your full name's Adrian Reynolds Cycle, right?"

"That's right," Reynolds replied with a nod.

"It's interesting you should say that," Phoenix said, bringing out his map of the carnival. "There's been a certain set of initials that have kept appearing in our ongoing investigation-"

"Investigation? What for?" Reynolds asked curiously, a bead of sweat starting to form on his brow.

"Murder, and a grisly one at that," Phoenix said. He then brought out a picture of Sir Cameron and handed it to Reynolds.

"Is this guy...the victim?" Reynolds asked.

"Sadly, yes."

"...am I a suspect?"

"Your initials show up on this map of the carnival as well as on one of the horses on the carousel," Phoenix said. "In short, your name is written into the case."

A short pause followed before Reynolds said, "I must've dropped this when that happened."

"When that happened?" Phoenix asked. Reynolds sighed as he handed back the map.

"I'll admit I'm a bit of an enthusiast for the carnival," Reynolds explained. "It's just well-situated for business, oddly enough. 'Hey, do you like this carnival but not walking around? Perhaps you should visit Reynolds' Cycles and pick up one for you and your lovely friend here!'"

_Lovely friend...what a way of putting it._

"Needless to say, I sold a couple of bikes before the carnival shut-down," Reynolds continued. "In fact, the night before it did, I was there. Seeing as I needed to know the carnival grounds so I could get out myself, I drew myself a map of the carnival to find my way around. I even carved my initials in places I had been to and to reorient myself as I did the map."

_That explains the map and the initials at least._

"But that night, I was struck by a terrible tragedy..."

Reynolds paused a moment, hiding away his face in his arm. The duo looked at him curiously before reeling back again as Reynolds cried out, "I lost my spectacles on the fairgrounds!"

"...you...lost your glasses?"

"Indeed I did! And I am a horribly nearsighted fellow," Reynolds said. "Why, I can't even tell if you're a man in a blue suit with spiky hair or a blue blur with a black blur sticking out of his head right now."

"It's that bad?!"

"Oh horribly so! And the carnival at night is the worst time to lose such valuable objects," Reynolds bemoaned. "The lights all blend together with the shadowy silhouettes of people. I searched desperately all that night until I fell into despair and worked my way back home some time later - a horrifically long time later!"

"So you were at the carnival the same night as the murder but couldn't see anything?" Phoenix summarized.

"Indubitably, and I haven't been able to see well since!" Reynolds continued.

"Perhaps though you heard something that night? Assuming it took you so long to get out of the carnival, you may have heard something," Phoenix pressed.

Reynolds paused for a moment in thought. "I might have remembered something," he said, "but I can't help but feel like I'm missing the link there..."

"You mean you can't remember?" Phoenix asked.

"Not exactly," Reynolds said. "I remember hearing something, but for some reason it doesn't come to mind readily. What could it have been? I wonder..."

Reynolds then became deep in thought when Maya began to tug on Phoenix's sleeve. "You don't think maybe the missing link is his glasses by chance, do you Nick?" she asked.

"I don't know...he said he lost them at the carnival...wait a minute!" Phoenix then remembered the vital information he had at his disposal.

"Reynolds, I believe we know just who has your glasses," Phoenix said to the deeply-thoughtful bearded man who perked up instantly.

"Do you? Fantastic!" Reynolds exclaimed, leaping right over the counter and landing firmly on the ground. "Lead me to them!"

_If this works..._ Phoenix's thoughts began to swim in the great ocean of possibility as Maya assisted Reynolds out of the shop, flipping the sign from OPEN to CLOSED and closing the door behind them. What secrets could be uncovered from Reynolds' memory? And perhaps, more importantly, Rudy's photograph?

* * *

**COURT RECORD**

Profiles

Sir Cameron Fearanst - the victim, found dead on the back of a white stallion. A professional gambler, he frequently plays on the roulette wheel.  
Ellie Ipssiss Fearanst - the defendant, 15-year old daughter of the victim. She plays off being innocent well.  
Olivia Vale Fearanst - the victim's wife. She was the one who sought my help for the case against her daughter.  
Adrian Reynolds Cycle - owner of a bike shop not far from the scene of the crime, is distracted by the carnival but sees it as good business  
Ron D. Globus - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Buoyant Boy" for his ability to stay above water...and for his surprisingly youthful appearance!  
Ethelinda Nejem - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Snake Lady" due to her appearance. She's really good at reading people.  
Dahnjent Pidisque - owner and ringmaster of the famous Pidisque Carnival, and an eccentric insane fellow. A good friend of Sir Cameron's.  
Pierre Imaterr - the prosecutor of this case, and the legal advisor for the Pidisque Carnival. He's a very strange man overall.  
Diablo - eater of flames and swords and flaming swords. He seems to know a thing or two about the carnival's history.  
Rudy Uscentre - an enthusiastic photographer working for the Radi N' Us local newspaper. He may have captured an important photograph!

Evidence

Attorney Badge - I keep this with me as proof that I'm an attorney. It only does so much for me.  
Magatama - A mystical tool that allows me to look into people's hearts and break the locks that keep them from telling the whole truth.  
Autopsy Report - Victim was stabbed in the back. Time of Death: 8:14 PM. Death was near instantaneous due to spinal shock.  
Carnival Map - A map of the carnival made by Reynolds. It's an accurate rendering of the layout.  
Loose Tile - A tile hanging by a hinge from the carousel's big top over the crime scene. Curious little thing.  
Initials - "ARC", left on a unicorn on the carousel by Reynolds. The guy's got some devotion to this carnival...  
Bag of Peanuts - A now-empty bag of peanuts that Ron dropped in the Hall of Mirrors. They were unopened when Maya found them.  
Casino Letter - A letter from a casino that forced Sir Cameron to pay for a debt he owed. They might still influence the case.  
Outage Report - A power outage occurred at 8:13 PM on May 5 due to a cut wire. A backup generator was activated at 8:15 PM while maintenance replaced the wire.  
Murder Weapon - The hideous knife used to kill Sir Cameron Fearanst and sever an electrical wire. Apparently it was stolen from Diablo's collection of knives.  
Ron's Drawing - A depiction of what Ron saw. It shows Sir Cameron and Ellie riding the carousel, and then there's a glint above their heads.  
Glasses - someone appears to have lost their glasses; they were found near the carousel the night of Sir Cameron's death

* * *

I'm not going to lie...Reynolds was a lot of fun to write.

Originally, the initials were there to just be an author cameo of sorts - they are my initials, after all! As the story progressed though, and the initials became a bigger deal, it became important to actually tie the initials with an actual character. Enter Adrian Reynolds Cycle, a man after my own heart...and nothing much beyond that. If nothing else, he and I share a mutual liking for...well, not bicycles. I like to think he looks like the Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons but with a more Penn from Penn & Teller feel. Needless to say more Comic Book Guy came out than Penn.

Now that the bicycle shop owner has been confronted, it's time for the pace to really pick up! Prepare for thrills! Prepare for chills! Prepare for the next chapter of Turnabout Carousel!


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Investigation II Part G

May 6  
Pidisque Carnival  
Carousel

Phoenix and Maya wasted no time in leading Reynolds over to the carousel again. It was funny that so much had taken place here, and now all the pieces seemed to be converging here as well. Sure enough as they approached, Phoenix caught sight of Rudy taking more pictures of the scene around him. Just as they approached, Rudy turned his camera on them and snapped another picture.

"Whoa! Nice surprise!" Rudy exclaimed. "Looks like that one's going in the scrapbook for later!"

"Rudy, meet Reynolds, local bike shop owner and seeker of missing glasses," Phoenix said, introducing the two to each other.

"Pleasure to meet you, Rudy," Reynolds said, extending his hand. Rudy caught it in a firm grasp and shook it, replying, "The pleasure's mine!"

"I heard that you had an extra pair of glasses," Reynolds inquired hopefully.

"Indeed I do! Two extra pairs in fact," Rudy said, reaching into his bag.

_Two pairs?_

Phoenix looked over at Maya who simply shrugged as Rudy brought out two pairs of glasses, one that was extraordinarily similar to his own and another that was decidedly not similar. The second pair was more pointed, reminding Phoenix oddly enough of someone he'd seen before...

"Now which one is yours I wonder?" Rudy said thoughtfully. Then he handed Reynolds the sharper pair and said, "Try this pair on."

Reynolds noted the shape of the glasses immediately and said, "I don't think these are mine. Mine were far less...pointy."

Just as a test, Reynolds placed the glasses on and decidedly said, "These are for someone with much greater vision than mine. I think someone else has misplaced their glasses as well. How sorrowful!"

"Well then, here, try this pair on," Rudy said, exchanging the two pairs of glasses. The moment Reynolds put them on, a smile wider than the points on the previous pair appeared on his face. He then leapt up into the air with great enthusiastic joy!

"Yes! My glasses! These are my glasses!" Reynolds cried out. "Oh the wonders of my sight have returned to me at long last! I can now behold the glory of my hobbies once more in their greatest form!"

"Really? And what would those hobbies be?" Rudy asked, failing to notice an embarrassed Maya put her hands behind her back, her face flushed red.

"Actually, I wanted to ask you both something first," Phoenix intervened, sparing Maya and himself from listening to Reynolds' praise over his love of bicycles and booty. He then turned back to Reynolds and asked, "Do you remember anything by chance now?"

"Remember? Remember...ah yes! I almost forgot to remember!" Reynolds said. "Yes, I remember what it was that night!"

"That night? You mean you were at the carnival the night of the murder?!" Rudy asked.

"Not just at the carnival," Reynolds replied. "I was right here! Near the carousel!"

_WHAT?!_

"I remember it now clear as that night was...

"Yes, I was out and about the carnival grounds perusing the sights and marketing my shop as I had done the days before. I eventually found myself getting a hot dog and enjoying some of the rides as well! After all, we can't all just deal with big business, right?

"Anyways, here I was, procuring into my...hobby, when suddenly the lights went out! I couldn't see, and in the darkness, I stumbled over and lost my glasses. At that very moment when the darkness was at its blackest, I heard a series of very distinct noises beyond the crowd:

"A creak, a shleak, a thwack, a gasp, another creak, and a latch.

"I couldn't possibly tell what that meant, but before I could decipher what I just heard, BOOM! The lights flashed back on, and I found myself completely disoriented! No more glasses meant an impending blur of brightness! I desperately searched for them, but amidst the turmoil of the crowd, I stood no chance..."

_A creak, a shleak, a thwack, a gasp, another creak, and a latch...could it be that Reynolds witnessed the murder through sound?!_

"That's amazing!" Rudy exclaimed. "And it makes my photograph make some sense now! I knew this was going to be a big part of this case!"

"The photograph?" Phoenix asked, lost in his thoughts.

"Yeah! I promised you a photograph when you found the owner of those glasses, remember?" Rudy then reached back into his bag and pulled out a single photograph. "I took this picture while the carnival was setting up, and believe me, _this_ might explain everything about Reynolds' story!"

"You think so?" Reynolds asked, now curious over the photograph.

"Gentleman," Rudy said dramatically, "read it and weep for its beauty."

Phoenix, Maya, and Reynolds looked down at the photograph. Sure enough, the carnival grounds appeared to be setting up, as evidenced by several wooden timbers laid out in the background and being worked upon by some workers. But the real treat really was in the foreground, where it appeared to be the carousel itself being set-up. And jutting from the wall of the carousel...

"A door?" Maya asked.

"On the carousel?" Phoenix wondered.

"That...doesn't seem that big of a deal," Reynolds stated plainly.

"Are you kidding me?! This is how the murderer was able to kill Sir Cameron!" Rudy exclaimed. "Picture this: you're waiting for someone to come onto the carousel to kill them. Where would you hide? The crowd has too many people, and being on the carousel itself is too obvious! So if you can't hide on the carousel, and you can't hide outside the carousel..."

"...then hide inside the carousel," Phoenix concluded. "That could explain it...but then who would be inside the carousel?"

"Only the murderer would have been inside the carousel," Reynolds answered repeatedly.

"Exactly!" Rudy said. "I'm certain of it: whoever killed Sir Cameron that night was inside the carousel."

_That would make sense. Reynolds' account had two creaks in it, possibly from the door being opened and closed again. The rest sounds out the murder taking place, and the latch would have been from the door being locked from the inside...but then..._

**Photograph added to the Court Record  
****Pointy Glasses added to the Court Record  
****Glasses removed from the Court Record**

"Seems we're in need of getting inside that carousel," Phoenix said.

"That's the only real problem though," Rudy said. "I've been looking around this thing for a while, and there's not a clue where the opening is! I took that picture so early on, there's no real way of knowing where the door is."

Phoenix turned back to Maya. "I think we've got some people to talk to," Phoenix said. Maya nodded enthusiastically. Rudy began to take more pictures excitedly.

"Oh this is going to be big! Local photographer takes picture of critical importance," Rudy said from behind the camera. "Now this is a story I can write about!"

* * *

**COURT RECORD**

Profiles

Sir Cameron Fearanst - the victim, found dead on the back of a white stallion. A professional gambler, he frequently plays on the roulette wheel.  
Ellie Ipssiss Fearanst - the defendant, 15-year old daughter of the victim. She plays off being innocent well.  
Olivia Vale Fearanst - the victim's wife. She was the one who sought my help for the case against her daughter.  
Adrian Reynolds Cycle - owner of a bike shop not far from the scene of the crime, is distracted by the carnival but sees it as good business  
Ron D. Globus - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Buoyant Boy" for his ability to stay above water...and for his surprisingly youthful appearance!  
Ethelinda Nejem - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Snake Lady" due to her appearance. She's really good at reading people.  
Dahnjent Pidisque - owner and ringmaster of the famous Pidisque Carnival, and an eccentric insane fellow. A good friend of Sir Cameron's.  
Pierre Imaterr - the prosecutor of this case, and the legal advisor for the Pidisque Carnival. He's a very strange man overall.  
Diablo - eater of flames and swords and flaming swords. He seems to know a thing or two about the carnival's history.  
Rudy Uscentre - an enthusiastic photographer working for the Radi N' Us local newspaper. He may have captured an important photograph!

Evidence

Attorney Badge - I keep this with me as proof that I'm an attorney. It only does so much for me.  
Magatama - A mystical tool that allows me to look into people's hearts and break the locks that keep them from telling the whole truth.  
Autopsy Report - Victim was stabbed in the back. Time of Death: 8:14 PM. Death was near instantaneous due to spinal shock.  
Carnival Map - A map of the carnival made by Reynolds. It's an accurate rendering of the layout.  
Loose Tile - A tile hanging by a hinge from the carousel's big top over the crime scene. Curious little thing.  
Initials - "ARC", left on a unicorn on the carousel by Reynolds. The guy's got some devotion to this carnival...  
Bag of Peanuts - A now-empty bag of peanuts that Ron dropped in the Hall of Mirrors. They were unopened when Maya found them.  
Casino Letter - A letter from a casino that forced Sir Cameron to pay for a debt he owed. They might still influence the case.  
Outage Report - A power outage occurred at 8:13 PM on May 5 due to a cut wire. A backup generator was activated at 8:15 PM while maintenance replaced the wire.  
Murder Weapon - The hideous knife used to kill Sir Cameron Fearanst and sever an electrical wire. Apparently it was stolen from Diablo's collection of knives.  
Ron's Drawing - A depiction of what Ron saw. It shows Sir Cameron and Ellie riding the carousel, and then there's a glint above their heads.  
Photograph - a picture taken by Rudy while undercover; there seems to be an opening in the carousel  
Pointed Glasses - someone appears to have lose their glasses; they were also found near the carousel, but they seem oddly familiar...

* * *

Here we are, getting through this day slowly but surely! Now's the time to solve every one of those Psyche Locks I set up earlier!

Not to say I didn't have a way of solving those Psyche Locks...but I didn't really have a way of solving all those Psyche Locks. .

BUT! Brilliant maneuver after brilliant maneuver has been executed in these next couple of chapters, and...wait, am I going to spoil things?

...nah~


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Investigation II Part H

May 6  
Pidisque Carnival  
Hall of Mirrors

Having knowledge of the doorway on the carousel was a huge lead for Phoenix, and knowing was only half the battle. Now was the time to put his thoughts into action and figure out what other secrets the carnival folk had. And who better to start with than the one man who could get them inside the carousel?

Phoenix and Maya quickly navigated the labyrinthine Hall of Mirrors to the owner's office mirror, catching Dahnjent at his desk as expected.

"Ahhh, the returned quicken of mine amigos galores," Dahnjent said as he turned around to the duo. "And what servicing do I can?"

"I think the answer's as clear to you as it is to me," Phoenix said, bringing out his empowered magatama. Soon the Psyche-Lock reappeared and chained itself before Dahnjent, though only to Phoenix's eyes.

"What curiousity curiousizes my interested capture?" Dahnjent asked curiously, his curiosity no doubt drawing his attention and-

"Call it a charm of sorts," Phoenix answered. "Something to bring me luck while I answer the question I couldn't last time. But there's something else I want to add on top of that answer."

Dahnjent raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" he asked. "A servicer great that I con canvey? Illuminate me."

Phoenix then brought out Rudy's photograph. "I've recently come into some evidence that the carousel has a door to its center," Phoenix explained. "Gaining access to it may give some further evidence as to who killed Sir Cameron."

Dahnjent tilted his head to the side. "Accessible to the carouseled central?" he pondered. "Perhaps...perhaps...I'll speak you regarding that then."

"Alright," Phoenix nodded. "Now then, back to the question from before."

"Generously," Dahnjent said. "Recollectioning that the questioning was concerning Sir Cameron's stealing from the casinoing, understanding?"

"I aming...I mean, I do," Phoenix replied. "See, that's what was bothering me for a while: why would someone like Sir Cameron who was so fortunate to win so much from casinos anyway go through the trouble of stealing money from them?"

"A concern questioning indeedly," Dahnjent nodded.

"Obviously he wouldn't do it for the money itself," Phoenix continued thinking aloud. "Why steal what you've already got? So he wasn't stealing out of greed. Would it have been because he was in trouble? Maybe, but as I understand it, the only trouble he had was with the casino, and that was because he was already stealing from them, so it couldn't be that he himself was in trouble."

"Tunefully pitched," Dahnjent agreed, holding a hand to his ear as though Phoenix were playing an instrument, and he was merely listening to its melody.

"That would leave only two other reasons to steal the money," Phoenix continued. "He could have stolen the money for his family, but then we run into the same problem as stealing for himself. Why would he need to with the money he's got? And again, the only trouble I've known the Fearanst family to get into was Sir Cameron's incident after stealing, and Ellie's current predicament. Which leaves only one reason to steal for...

"Or rather, one place to steal for."

Dahnjent gave Phoenix another eyebrow, his smile slowly fading. "Then you know?" he asked.

"I do," Phoenix replied. "I think that Sir Cameron stole from the casino for the carnival."

A splintering sound could be heard as the Psyche-Lock began to break. Dahnjent looked down regrettably, a renewed graveness in his visage.

"You seem to know well enough," he said. "I cannot deny it further. Sir Cameron did steal that money for the carnival."

"But then why? That's one thing I can't seem to figure out," Phoenix asked.

Dahnjent looked directly at Phoenix and said, "What other reason could a carnival business need money?"

"...you were in debt," Phoenix said, the thoughts clicking together.

Dahnjent nodded, and the Psyche-Lock broke apart.

**UNLOCK COMPLETE**

"Yes, Mr. Wright, we were in need of money," Dahnjent said. "And Sir Cameron was the only one willing to go through with the act."

"Maybe you can explain that to me a bit more," Phoenix pressed. Dahnjent nodded and began his story:

"As you know, Sir Cameron Fearanst was our accountant, as well as a notorious gambler on the roulette wheel. You could say that he and I helped fund the carnival's creation. If it wasn't for him, I don't know where we would be today.

"Sometime a few weeks ago, we ran into some financial troubles. Sir Cameron offered to go win back what we needed at a nearby casino, the Flamenco I believe. It's a worldwide casino chain in fact, very nice in all honesty. Unfortunately, Sir Cameron did not seem to be as fortunate on the roulette wheel that time, and he came back with only part of what we needed.

"So then the terrible thought comes to mind: steal the money. The collectors would soon collect from us, and the carnival was in danger of closing its curtains forever. Sir Cameron thought that perhaps if the money couldn't be won, he could steal it. I haven't the slightest clue what was running through his head that he would suggest such a thing, but out of desperation I gave him the pass.

"That night, he went back to the casino and proceeded to loot just the amount we needed, and we high-tailed it out of there. We weren't going to stick around waiting for the casino owner to track us down, and the next day we settled our debts with the collectors.

"But that wasn't the end of it. Somehow the Flamenco casino tracked us down and...well, you know the rest of that story."

Dahnjent bowed his head as he finished his story and put his face in his hands. "Who would think that such a secret could come back so painfully as when it happened?" he murmured.

Phoenix walked up to him, put a hand on his shoulder, and said, "I don't know if this has anything to do with our case, but I will do anything I can to help."

Dahnjent looked up at Phoenix, his eyes slightly moist. Then he gave Phoenix a hug around the waist and said, "That is all I can really ask for now."

May 6  
Pidisque Carnival  
Food Stand

"_**HALT!"**_

The voice of Diablo boomed again as Phoenix and Maya approached the food stand. After breaking Dahnjent's Psyche-Lock, Phoenix asked him about the carousel entrance, to which Dahnjent answered that the only person who could help would be Diablo, who kept a tight hold on most of the keys in the carnival. With this in mind, and knowing he had some more locks to deal with, Phoenix immediately sought out Diablo in the one place he saw him last: the food stand.

Somehow, Diablo was still there, scarfing away at some food. Or rather performing tricks with it, as evidenced by his performance as the two approached. He began by putting an empty bun down his throat followed by an entire hot dog. Then he squirted a little mustard and a little ketchup and threw in some relish for good measure. Then slowly he began to withdraw the entire hot dog again from his mouth, completely coated in ketchup, mustard, and relish all along the hot dog without much on the bun.

"Hmm, not bad," he said to himself before eating the hot dog. He then turned to Phoenix and Maya and said, "Now how can I help the two of you open the carousel?"

"Nothing seems to get past you!" Maya said merrily, impressed again by Diablo's unusual talent for hearing things he shouldn't be hearing.

"I imagine you came over to ask me for my keys?" Diablo inquired.

"That would be the reason," Phoenix answered. "We need to get in the carousel-"

"-to prove who the murderer is, I've heard," Diablo interrupted before eating away at the hot dog. "My keys are within my trailer at the park. Please follow me."

And without delay, Diablo led Phoenix and Maya over to the trailer park, the key to unlocking the secret of the carousel well within their grasp.

May 6  
Pidisque Carnival  
Trailer Park

The duo followed Diablo to a curiously marked trailer, one with fire painted onto the sides of it. There certainly was no doubt this was Diablo's trailer, especially made certain once Diablo led them inside.

The inside of the trailer was far more elaborate than Phoenix would have expected of a trailer. There was a heavy dark atmosphere with lots of red around and about, as though the inside were engulfed in hellfire. Diablo wandered over to a wooden desk and started scouring the drawers while Phoenix and Maya observed the plethora of knives, swords, daggers, rapiers, long swords, broadswords, and other such bladed weaponry adorning the walls. Eventually, a rattled jingling could be heard as Diablo reached for a large ring of keys.

"Now then," Diablo said, holding up the ring of keys, "on this key ring is the key you seek, but it wouldn't be fun to simply hand over the key. After all, I think you've come for more than just the key."

"You bring up a good point," Phoenix said, bringing out his magatama once again. "I still have to figure out what you know about Ethelinda and Pierre."

And right on cue, the three Psyche-Locks reappeared and shackled themselves before Diablo. "I hope you understand the condition of your so-called evidence," Diablo said. "I must be able to see it."

_Shoot, that's right! He has to be able to see what can't be seen..._

"Maybe it won't be a big problem," Phoenix said calmly. "I might have solved it without such evidence."

"Confident, are we?" Diablo challenged. "Then let us see the fruits of your labors."

"You're adept at listening to what happens around the carnival," Phoenix said. "I can imagine you hear the gossip among fellow carnies."

"Certainly," Diablo replied. "You never know what useful tidbits come up every now and again."

"Then you must have heard about it then?" Phoenix inquired.

"You'll need to be more specific, Mr. Wright," Diablo said.

"What I mean is that you already know one way that Pierre and Ethelinda are connected," Phoenix continued. "And that connection is through a certain incident between the two."

"Oh?"

"Or perhaps I should include Dahnjent Pidisque as well as Sir Cameron Fearanst."

One of the Psyche-Locks began to rattle as Diablo asked, "Again, can you tell me the specific incident that connects these four together?"

Phoenix didn't have to think long. "There's only one incident that concerns the four of them: the Flamenco robbery."

The same Psyche-Lock from before rattled again, prompting Diablo to ask, "So the four of them are connected by the robbery?"

"Sir Cameron knew that the Pidisque Carnival was having financial trouble and suggested the idea of winning the money from the Flamenco casino," Phoenix explained. "Unfortunately, that didn't go well so he decided to steal it instead. Dahnjent knew about this, and so he and Sir Cameron got caught up when the Flamenco owners tracked them down."

At this point, Phoenix paused and looked to check on the Psyche-Locks. Unfortunately, none of them shattered or rattled or so much as flinched. For a moment, Phoenix was confused while Diablo simply smiled back.

"It's interesting that you've managed to tie Sir Cameron and Dahnjent to the robbery," Diablo explained, "but you've failed to tell me how Pierre and Ethelinda are also connected to this robbery."

Suddenly, Phoenix felt a sharp pain through him. It had been a while, but he remembered the feeling well; it only happened when he was attempting to break Psyche-Locks and usually came up when he failed to break one at all.

"Perhaps you should think about your story some more," Diablo said, a hint of arrogance in his voice.

_He's right. I need to think about how Ethelinda and Pierre are involved with the Flamenco robbery if I'm going to tie the two together...or maybe their involvement doesn't include the robbery? No, there must be something tying Ethelinda to the robbery. Let's think...Ethelinda was with Sir Cameron and Dahnjent when Sir Cameron got his scar...she was in the room as well...if Sir Cameron and Dahnjent were there to get punished by the casino...then why was Ethelinda there?_

"Given up already?" Diablo asked.

"Actually...I think I've figured something out," Phoenix replied.

"Oh?" Diablo raised an eyebrow at this remark.

"I don't quite have Pierre's connection figured out...but I do know what Ethelinda's may be," Phoenix continued. "She was with Sir Cameron when he robbed the Flamenco, wasn't she?"

And that's when one of the Psyche-Locks shattered and fell apart. Diablo nodded as he said, "Very good, Mr. Wright. You've figured out a piece of the puzzle."

"I thought she said she was with Dahnjent when he came in," Maya said aloud.

"That's the thing, she was with Dahnjent when Sir Cameron came to warn him about the casino robbery," Phoenix said. "In fact, I suspect that she knew more about the situation than she let on when she told us her story earlier."

Another Psyche-Lock began to tremble, something that caught Phoenix's eye. "I'm guessing I'm right that Ethelinda knew more about the Flamenco robbery, aren't I?" Phoenix asked Diablo.

"Perhaps she did," Diablo said, causing the Psyche-Lock to crack a little. "But then who would have told her about the robbery? Or perhaps who would have told her the situation regarding the robbery?"

"I think the answer would be obvious," Phoenix said. "Who robbed the casino that night? Sir Cameron was the only one aside from Dahnjent to know of the robbery, and I've no doubt that he told her about-"

A sharp pain interrupted Phoenix's train of thought. His breathing began to hasten a little as Diablo looked at him with a little concern.

"You don't believe that it would be so easy as to be Sir Cameron himself, do you?" Diablo asked.

_What does he mean? If it wasn't Sir Cameron, could it have been Dahnjent? But to have been there when Sir Cameron robbed the casino, she would have had to be there herself...unless..._

"Are you going to call it now? I'd rather you not injure yourself over the matter," Diablo said.

"Just a moment," Phoenix said, standing back up again. "You said that Ethelinda knew about the robbery, but she wasn't in the same room as Sir Cameron and Dahnjent were that night. In order to know, she would have had to talk to Sir Cameron or Dahnjent...unless there was a third party involved."

"A third party?" Diablo asked.

"What do you mean?" Maya asked.

"I'm saying there's only one thing that could connect Ethelinda to the robbery if Sir Cameron didn't tell her," Phoenix continued. "And that would be if a third party was there that night to hear the robbery about to take place...or perhaps know that the robbery was going to take place at all. I suspect that the truth is Pierre eavesdropped on Sir Cameron and Dahnjent that night - if not was the third man in the room himself! That's how Ethelinda knew about the events of the robbery that night!"

The Psyche-Lock once again cracked, this time a much deeper crack. It was nearly broken, and Diablo asked, "Now what would Ethelinda do in the face of the robbery?"

"If she was there at the casino, and she knew about the robbery...then the reason she would be there..." Phoenix mulled over his thoughts before finally saying, "She was planning on stopping Sir Cameron from going through with it."

And the Psyche-Lock finally shattered, now no longer binding Diablo's secrets in place. Diablo nodded once again, complimenting Phoenix, "Very good. Again, you've impressed me with your deductive reasoning."

Phoenix would have normally taken the compliment with a smile, but something bothered him: there was a single Psyche-Lock left. "Something tells me you still know more about Ethelinda and Pierre," Phoenix said.

Diablo nodded and said, "Indeed. There's more than just a single robbery to connect the two together."

_Connect the two together...Pierre heard about the robbery and told Ethelinda about it...but there was no real reason to tell her, was there? It's not like she could have stopped it from happening. She must have been told by him for a reason..._

"I hope you will not stop having come so far," Diablo chided, a smirk upon his lips.

"I'm just trying to understand one thing," Phoenix began to think aloud. "Pierre knew about the robbery, but he chose to tell Ethelinda about it. There's no reason for him to do that...unless..."

Suddenly everything fit together. Phoenix's realization caused his eyes to open wide. Maya noticed this and asked, "Nick? You okay?"

"I should hope that he's alright," Diablo smiled. "After all, I think he's figured it out."

"Ethelinda...and Pierre..." Phoenix almost couldn't form the words, the truth was just too unbelievable.

"...they were...lovers?!"

**UNLOCK COMPLETE**

* * *

**COURT RECORD**

Profiles

Sir Cameron Fearanst - the victim, found dead on the back of a white stallion. A professional gambler, he frequently plays on the roulette wheel.  
Ellie Ipssiss Fearanst - the defendant, 15-year old daughter of the victim. She plays off being innocent well.  
Olivia Vale Fearanst - the victim's wife. She was the one who sought my help for the case against her daughter.  
Adrian Reynolds Cycle - owner of a bike shop not far from the scene of the crime, is distracted by the carnival but sees it as good business  
Ron D. Globus - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Buoyant Boy" for his ability to stay above water...and for his surprisingly youthful appearance!  
Ethelinda Nejem - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Snake Lady" due to her appearance. She's really good at reading people.  
Dahnjent Pidisque - owner and ringmaster of the famous Pidisque Carnival, and an eccentric insane fellow. A good friend of Sir Cameron's.  
Pierre Imaterr - the prosecutor of this case, and the legal advisor for the Pidisque Carnival. He's a very strange man overall.  
Diablo - eater of flames and swords and flaming swords. He seems to know a thing or two about the carnival's history.  
Rudy Uscentre - an enthusiastic photographer working for the Radi N' Us local newspaper. He may have captured an important photograph!

Evidence

Attorney Badge - I keep this with me as proof that I'm an attorney. It only does so much for me.  
Magatama - A mystical tool that allows me to look into people's hearts and break the locks that keep them from telling the whole truth.  
Autopsy Report - Victim was stabbed in the back. Time of Death: 8:14 PM. Death was near instantaneous due to spinal shock.  
Carnival Map - A map of the carnival made by Reynolds. It's an accurate rendering of the layout.  
Loose Tile - A tile hanging by a hinge from the carousel's big top over the crime scene. Curious little thing.  
Initials - "ARC", left on a unicorn on the carousel by Reynolds. The guy's got some devotion to this carnival...  
Bag of Peanuts - A now-empty bag of peanuts that Ron dropped in the Hall of Mirrors. They were unopened when Maya found them.  
Casino Letter - A letter from a casino that forced Sir Cameron to pay for a debt he owed. They might still influence the case.  
Outage Report - A power outage occurred at 8:13 PM on May 5 due to a cut wire. A backup generator was activated at 8:15 PM while maintenance replaced the wire.  
Murder Weapon - The hideous knife used to kill Sir Cameron Fearanst and sever an electrical wire. Apparently it was stolen from Diablo's collection of knives.  
Ron's Drawing - A depiction of what Ron saw. It shows Sir Cameron and Ellie riding the carousel, and then there's a glint above their heads.  
Photograph - a picture taken by Rudy while undercover; there seems to be an opening in the carousel  
Pointed Glasses - someone appears to have lose their glasses; they were also found near the carousel, but they seem oddly familiar...

* * *

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!

...WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!

...WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!

...

...

...WHAAAAAAA-*boom*

Well...that was unexpected! Who knows what will come up next? I mean, how do you top that?!


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Investigation II Part I

For a moment, Phoenix couldn't believe he had unlocked the last Psyche-Lock. Perhaps though it was the idea that he unlocked it with a truth so unbelievable he had a hard time wrapping his head around it. Even Maya was completely blown away by this revelation. The only one in the trailer who didn't seem surprised in the least was Diablo, who simply smiled and nodded.

"No way!" Maya yelped. "The snake lady and the prosecutor?!"

"Shocking, isn't it?" Diablo smiled. "Still, it is true that Ethelinda and Pierre were involved in a relationship together. Still are, if I'm not mistaken."

"That's...really something," was about all Phoenix could say.

"You should've seen Ron's reaction when he first found out," Diablo joked, and he let out a nice laugh to prove so. "Priceless little man started bouncing around the stage, whether of joy or shock I'll never know!"

_Unbelievable...so then..._

"So when she was going to Dahnjent, she was going to him as a friend to get Sir Cameron to stop?" Phoenix asked.

"Indeed she was," Diablo nodded. "Dahnjent and Ethelinda have always been friends, but when Pierre came around and joined the carnival, she took a fancy to him."

_I don't care how long eternity is, I will _never_ understand how that worked out._

"Right then," Diablo continued, picking through the key ring, "now that our business has been settled, I will let you into the carousel."

"Yes! Come on, Nick!" Maya squealed excitedly. "Let's go find out who our murderer is!"

Still slightly dazed, Phoenix had to be partially dragged by Maya, partially pushed by Diablo out of the trailer and into the carnival fairgrounds, where the two would escort him over to the next big mystery to be solved...

May 6  
Pidisque Carnival  
Carousel

FLASH

"Wow! He's even more impressive up close!"

Rudy had wasted no time in capturing a couple of pictures of Diablo as the trio approached. It also didn't take long for him to start bombarding Diablo with questions.

"Have you been blind since birth? What made you get into sword-eating and fire-eating? Did you know your clothes were red and black, but your hair is blonde? Do you prefer spicy foods or more mild foods? Have you ever taken the Ghost Pepper Challenge? What color do you think your eyes are? If a tree falls in the forest, and no one else is around to hear it, will you be able to? Are you part-psychic by chance? Can you read tarot cards despite being blind? How tall are you exactly? Can I possibly-"

"Perhaps you should back off a little, lad," Reynolds said, dragging Rudy away from Diablo. "You'll have to excuse him, he's a little rowdy right now."

"Not at all," Diablo said. "I've never been asked so many questions so quickly before!"

"Believe me, it's really something," Phoenix said, having recovered by this point.

"Oh yeah, have you guys met before?" Maya wondered aloud then quickly ran into introductions. "Diablo, this is Adrian Reynolds Cycle from the bike shop nearby, Reynolds, this is Diablo, the fire-and-sword-eater!"

"The pleasure's mine!" Reynolds said holding out his hand.

"Likewise!" Diablo said, extending his own hand. He only missed Reynolds' hand by a foot though, so Reynolds reached for the hand and shook it accordingly.

"Oh yes, how rude of me, I should've started with that!" Rudy said, bouncing back into the conversation. He grabbed for Diablo's hand and shook it vigorously, saying, "Rudy Uscentre, local photographer and sole employee at Radi N' Us newspaper!"

"Ahhh, newspaper," Diablo said. "I know of it well."

"Really? Could you read it at one point in your life?" Rudy asked curiously.

"Sadly no, but I remember the smell of the ink burning away in the fire," Diablo answered nostalgically.

"Interesting," Rudy said, scribbling this quote down as quickly as he could.

"I think we should probably get to the reason we're here, don't you think Diablo?" Phoenix asked.

"Indeed we should!" Diablo said, and he pulled out the key ring and scuttled through the keys again, finally locating the one key among them that could presumably open the carousel. It was an oddly shaped key, having no notches and being a long thin rod of metal. The handle of it bore a horse head mark, perhaps referencing the horses on the carousel.

"Is that the key to the carousel?" Rudy asked, taking a picture of the key quickly.

"It most certainly is," Diablo replied, feeling the horse mark with his thumb. "And now all we need to do is find the one keyhole.

"There's a keyhole on the carousel?" Rudy wondered aloud. "Are you sure? I've looked all over that thing and not once seen a keyhole like that."

"Oh, I think I know where to find it then," Diablo said. Then he turned to Phoenix and asked, "Could you direct me to the white stallion? I should be able to find the keyhole once I'm there."

Phoenix nodded and took hold of Diablo's arm, guiding him over to the scene of the murder. It was strange how the further away the events regarding the case and the carnival's past got from this carousel, everything and everyone seemed to gravitate back to it. Once Phoenix found the white stallion, he guided Diablo's hand to its shimmering pole.

"Here it is," he said.

"Thank you kindly," Diablo thanked Phoenix. Then he climbed atop the white stallion and grabbed onto the pole, standing up until he was on top of the stallion. Considering the height of the carousel and Diablo's own towering height, he was forced to bend over as he searched for something along the roof. Eventually, he knocked into the loose tile, feeling the space it occupied.

"Someone better fix that tile," he said, "or people will wonder what this hole here's for."

_Hole? Behind the tile?_

As Phoenix soon connected two and two together, Diablo plunged the key into the keyhole in the top of the carousel, and a loud clank was heard as part of the carousel wall near the stallion opened up slightly. Rudy and Maya were both extremely eager as Reynolds and Phoenix looked over with amazement. Diablo then withdrew the key and came down slowly off of the stallion.

"So you want to know what's inside the carousel, eh?" he asked the group. "Take a gander for yourselves then."

And with that, Diablo opened wide the door into the carousel center, prompting the interest of the entire group. Phoenix began to take in all of what he saw in the carousel and realized that this was far more ground-breaking than he could have imagined.

"Rudy," Phoenix said. "I'm going to need you to take a few pictures."

* * *

Take a few pictures? A few pictures of what? Are we going to see what that is next time?! Well?! ARE WE?!


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Investigation II Part K

May 6  
Pidisque Carnival  
Hall of Freaks

"Ahhh, the man of the hour returns to my humble abode once more."

There were no surprises to be had in the arrival of Phoenix and Maya. One might even say it was destiny that the three would converge on this one point to settle things once and for all, Ethelinda with her last secrets, and Phoenix armed with his Magatama to dispel the locks guarding them.

"A pleasure asssss always," Ethelinda smiled.

"I've got you figured out now, Ethelinda," Phoenix said as he withdrew his magatama.

"Then you are ready for this?" Ethelinda asked sympathetically.

"I'm not only ready," Phoenix replied, "I'm done."

At that moment, the three Psyche-locks from before rattled forth and locked themselves into place once again. This time though, Phoenix was more than ready for them.

"So the question was to answer how Pierre was involved with the incident regarding Sir Cameron Fearanst," Phoenix said.

"I believe that is the case," Ethelinda nodded.

"Then let's start with guns blazing," Phoenix said. "I think the most obvious way of going about this is to say just who was involved with the incident. Obviously, Sir Cameron stole the money from the casino, but I've discovered three other people involved in this incident: Dahnjent, the owner who conspired with Sir Cameron over the robbery, and then Pierre, who discovered the plot and decided to tell the third person: you."

The Psyche-Locks rattled briefly, but not one cracked or shattered. Ethelinda smiled and cooed, "Now I know I'm tied to this case, but what proof is that of Pierre's involvement with it?"

"Simple, really," Phoenix said. "As I've said, Sir Cameron and Dahnjent conspired together while Pierre eavesdropped on their plans. Then he decided he needed to tell someone important to him like you, and so by informing you of the plot to steal the money from the casino, Pierre gave you the knowledge to attempt to stop Sir Cameron from going through with it."

One of the Psyche-Locks began to crack a little, but still no signs showed that these locks were ready to break. Ethelinda asked, "But why would Pierre tell me? I don't have very much to do with the incident other than the ending."

"That's just it though," Phoenix said. "I had to answer that question myself not long ago. In fact, if it weren't for that answer, I don't know if I'd be here right now."

"Is your evidence so crippling?" Ethelinda asked.

"I'd like to think so," Phoenix replied. "After all, lovers tell each other everything."

The cracked Psyche-Lock became more cracked, and even another of the Psyche-Locks began to crack as well. Ethelinda looked up sternly and asked, "You think Pierre and I were lovers?"

"Not think, and not were," Phoenix answered triumphantly. "I _know_ you and Pierre _are_ lovers."

And like that, two Psyche-Locks were destroyed with a single one remaining. Ethelinda's face formed into a snarl, and she hissed at Phoenix. _Guess her natural snake instincts are kicking in._

"And yet you've no proof of such a thing, do you?" Ethelinda said acidly. "There's nothing to prove such an outlandish and rogue theory!"

_Outlandish? Rogue? Well, guess I'm about to bring the house down!_

"Actually, Ethelinda, I did find one thing to bring you together," Phoenix said.

"Neither this case nor this carnival can prove such a relationship exists," Ethelinda snarled.

"I agree fullheartedly," Phoenix replied. "But if you really want proof, take a look at this."

Phoenix then withdrew from the Court Record a particular item of interest, one which Ethelinda recognized immediately, shocking her back to the reality and destroying her final Psyche-Lock!

**UNLOCK COMPLETE**

"I...see you've learned much in your investigations," Ethelinda said.

"I would have never guessed that the two of you were in such a relationship with each other," Phoenix said. Then he reached into the Court Record and pulled out the pointed glasses he had retrieved only a couple hours earlier. He handed them to her saying, "These are his glasses, aren't they?"

**Pointed Glasses removed from the Court Record**

A long pause ensued for a while. Then Ethelinda reached behind her and undid something that held her tail together, causing it to open up and for her to walk out of it. Maya was startled while Phoenix was merely surprised...and slightly embarrassed at first. Regardless, Ethelinda emerged from her snake tail and into the fading light of the day, showing her true form to the duo.

"Surely everyone deserves to be loved, don't you agree?" Ethelinda asked.

"I...I would say so, yes," Phoenix answered.

"Even all those years ago when he was a mere circus child, he was so charming," Ethelinda spoke as she gathered up her costume. "Maybe it was his accent, maybe it was his interest in a normal life, maybe it was simply him - but I loved that boy even when he became a man, and I'll love that man for everything that he's done, everything that he does, and everything he will do. It was always just meant to be."

And then she sauntered off towards the trailer park, her long legs stepping elegantly across the fairgrounds. Phoenix watched her walk away before turning to a teary-eyed Maya.

"That's a wonderful thing," Maya sniffled.

_Who would have thought this would be the end of that? But now there's just tomorrow's trial to prepare for. There's a lot of evidence now, and I'm certain that we'll find out who the murderer is tomorrow. But can we prove it and have it stick in court? Even I don't know the answer to that. Ethelinda, I'm sorry..._

* * *

Profiles

Sir Cameron Fearanst - the victim, found dead on the back of a white stallion. A professional gambler, he frequently plays on the roulette wheel.  
Ellie Ipssiss Fearanst - the defendant, 15-year old daughter of the victim. She plays off being innocent well.  
Olivia Vale Fearanst - the victim's wife. She was the one who sought my help for the case against her daughter.  
Adrian Reynolds Cycle - owner of a bike shop not far from the scene of the crime, is distracted by the carnival but sees it as good business  
Ron D. Globus - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Buoyant Boy" for his ability to stay above water...and for his surprisingly youthful appearance!  
Ethelinda Nejem - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Snake Lady" due to her appearance. She's really good at reading people.  
Dahnjent Pidisque - owner and ringmaster of the famous Pidisque Carnival, and an eccentric insane fellow. A good friend of Sir Cameron's.  
Pierre Imaterr - the prosecutor of this case, and the legal advisor for the Pidisque Carnival. He's a very strange man overall.  
Diablo - eater of flames and swords and flaming swords. He seems to know a thing or two about the carnival's history.  
Rudy Uscentre - an enthusiastic photographer working for the Radi N' Us local newspaper. He may have captured an important photograph!

Evidence

Attorney Badge - I keep this with me as proof that I'm an attorney. It only does so much for me.  
Magatama - A mystical tool that allows me to look into people's hearts and break the locks that keep them from telling the whole truth.  
Autopsy Report - Victim was stabbed in the back. Time of Death: 8:14 PM. Death was near instantaneous due to spinal shock.  
Carnival Map - A map of the carnival made by Reynolds. It's an accurate rendering of the layout.  
Loose Tile - A tile hanging by a hinge from the carousel's big top over the crime scene. Curious little thing.  
Initials - "ARC", left on a unicorn on the carousel by Reynolds. The guy's got some devotion to this carnival...  
Bag of Peanuts - A now-empty bag of peanuts that Ron dropped in the Hall of Mirrors. They were unopened when Maya found them.  
Casino Letter - A letter from a casino that forced Sir Cameron to pay for a debt he owed. They might still influence the case.  
Outage Report - A power outage occurred at 8:13 PM on May 5 due to a cut wire. A backup generator was activated at 8:15 PM while maintenance replaced the wire.  
Murder Weapon - The hideous knife used to kill Sir Cameron Fearanst and sever an electrical wire. Apparently it was stolen from Diablo's collection of knives.  
Ron's Drawing - A depiction of what Ron saw. It shows Sir Cameron and Ellie riding the carousel, and then there's a glint above their heads.  
Photograph - a picture taken by Rudy while undercover; there seems to be an opening in the carousel  
Pointed Glasses - someone appears to have lose their glasses; they were also found near the carousel, but they seem oddly familiar...  
? - evidence that could prove how the murderer knew to kill Sir Cameron  
? - an item of interest that could prove useful in this case  
? - evidence that could prove how Pierre's tied to the incident  
? - evidence that could prove how the lights were turned off

* * *

Wait a minute, where did all this weird evidence come from? Did we miss something? When does this happen in the movie?

Could it be...a surprise?!

We'll see what happens in court!


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20: The Second Day

May 7th, 9:43 AM  
District Court  
Defendant Lobby No. 2

"Are you sure about this?"

Phoenix looked over at Maya, who stood by with a nervous look on her face.

"I mean, if we go through with this," Maya said, "then we-"

"I know it's a bit startling, but we're here to expose the truth," Phoenix interrupted. "There's only one way to bring this murderer to justice, and we've got most of what we need."

Maya nodded in agreement. "I hope everything goes well then," she said.

"Hey pal!"

At that moment, the ever scruffy ever familiar detective Dick Gumshoe came scrambling up to Phoenix and Maya, breathing heavily as per usual. Or maybe more so since he ran up to them.

"Gumshoe? What are you doing here?" Phoenix asked.

"I thought I'd just check up on ya, see how the case was going," Gumshoe replied, then he nudged Phoenix saying, "And to rub the fact that I got by you for the first time in court in a while!"

_It's not like he had anything that contradicted the statements given, he did just fine._ "Uh, yeah, you sure managed to best me there."

"Oh don't let me get to ya," Gumshoe smiled. "You've got a pretty rough day ahead I imagine."

"It's bound to end up that way," Phoenix nodded.

"By the way, how's Ellie doing in the midst of all of this?" Gumshoe asked.

And that's when Phoenix remembered his client. _That's right, I haven't checked on her since the trial! I got caught up in all of my investigating that I-_

"There you are!"

Much to Phoenix's dread, he turned and saw Olivia Fearanst walking right up to him from across the hall, a stern glare in her eyes. Or maybe it was just her glasses? _She really needs to get a new pair...maybe one not so scary!_

"Where have you been? I hadn't seen you at all since the trial yesterday!" Olivia scolded.

"Um, yes, well, I was a little...busy?" Phoenix answered? Can one really say that was a-

"Wrong answer," Olivia said, grabbing Phoenix by the ear and dragging him across the hall as Gumshoe and Maya watched, wincing at the undeniable pain he was probably going through.

Eventually Olivia let go of Phoenix's ear, looked around, then lowered her voice down and whispered, "Tell me the case is almost solved."

Phoenix, tending to his throbbing ear, answered back, "It's almost there. We've got all of what we need, now it's just a matter of piecing things together."

"That's good," Olivia sighed with relief. "I just didn't want Ellie to worry about the trial ahead."

That's_ what you dragged me over here for?!_

Phoenix looked up intending to give Olivia a mean look for his ear but found her in a rare moment of melancholy. She took off her glasses and wiped a tear from her eye.

"It's been hard on the both of us," she said. "I have to deal with the loss of a treacherous and reckless husband, but she has to stand trial for the loss of her father. I can't even begin to imagine what this will do to her."

Phoenix simply looked at Olivia as she had this moment. Nearly forty-eight hours ago, this same woman had purposefully dragged him out of his office with an unparalleled aggressiveness, and now here she was in an incredibly vulnerable state. _Maybe she's not so unlike her daughter after all..._

Phoenix then placed his hand on Olivia's shoulder, saying, "I know your daughter's not guilty."

Olivia looked up at Phoenix as he continued, "And once I've gotten her cleared, I'll hope the two of you can rekindle your relationship with each other."

For a moment, Phoenix thought he saw a slight smile on Olivia's face, but she quickly tilted her head back down and quietly said, "Just go win that case for my daughter."

Phoenix smiled and headed back over to Gumshoe and Maya, each one looking up at him as he returned.

"Just wishing me luck as it were," Phoenix answered their unasked questions.

"Your ear's gonna say otherwise, pal," Gumshoe noted.

"Zat it certainly does, _Herra _Wright."

_Oh no..._

Phoenix turned to find the same comical bowtie, the same loud suit, and the same pointy nose all looking back at him. Pierre simply smiled that cutting smile of his as he amused himself with perusing Phoenix's features.

"Perhaps zere is some _lek_ for zat ear zat you might be able to hear ze way ze trial shall commence, _Herra _Wright," Pierre sneered.

_Did he just offer me a leek for my ear? _"I'll manage no problem."

"Glad to hear zat," Pierre smiled. "Perhaps zen we shall see more of your, shall we say, _'filippiche eroici,'_ eh?"

And with that Pierre walked away laughing at some joke he had made or other. Phoenix couldn't help but feel a sense of loathing for his opponent's sudden lax attitude. _Wait till he sees what I've got in store for him._

"Yeesh, what was that all about?" Gumshoe asked curiously.

"Don't worry about it," Phoenix replied. "Just keep your eyes and ears on me."

"Whoa, you sound real confident today pal," Gumshoe said.

"He should after yesterday!" Maya said cheerfully, clapping her hands together. "We've got this case in the bag!"

"Wow, if that's the case, I can't wait to see what the trial's gonna be like!" Gumshoe smirked.

"Neither can I."

The group turned to find Ellie, once again escorted by a guard but now smiling.

"Do you really think you can prove my innocence?" Ellie asked.

"Not only that, I may even know who the real murderer is by now," Phoenix said.

"That's rather bold of you, Mr. Wright," Ellie responded, a slightly surprised look on her face.

"Let's just say yesterday's investigations have led to some interesting results," Phoenix said. "We'll see how this trial goes today."

"I hope you're right...for my sake."

Phoenix placed a hand on Ellie's shoulder and nodded confidently, leading the way into the courtroom and the start of the trial.

* * *

COURT RECORD

Profiles

Sir Cameron Fearanst - the victim, found dead on the back of a white stallion. A professional gambler, he frequently plays on the roulette wheel.  
Ellie Ipssiss Fearanst - the defendant, 15-year old daughter of the victim. She plays off being innocent well.  
Olivia Vale Fearanst - the victim's wife. She was the one who sought my help for the case against her daughter.  
Adrian Reynolds Cycle - owner of a bike shop not far from the scene of the crime, is distracted by the carnival but sees it as good business  
Ron D. Globus - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Buoyant Boy" for his ability to stay above water...and for his surprisingly youthful appearance!  
Ethelinda Nejem - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Snake Lady" due to her appearance. She's really good at reading people.  
Dahnjent Pidisque - owner and ringmaster of the famous Pidisque Carnival, and an eccentric insane fellow. A good friend of Sir Cameron's.  
Pierre Imaterr - the prosecutor of this case, and the legal advisor for the Pidisque Carnival. He's a very strange man overall.  
Diablo - eater of flames and swords and flaming swords. He seems to know a thing or two about the carnival's history.  
Rudy Uscentre - an enthusiastic photographer working for the Radi N' Us local newspaper. He may have captured an important photograph!

Evidence

Attorney Badge - I keep this with me as proof that I'm an attorney. It only does so much for me.  
Magatama - A mystical tool that allows me to look into people's hearts and break the locks that keep them from telling the whole truth.  
Autopsy Report - Victim was stabbed in the back. Time of Death: 8:14 PM. Death was near instantaneous due to spinal shock.  
Carnival Map - A map of the carnival made by Reynolds. It's an accurate rendering of the layout.  
Loose Tile - A tile hanging by a hinge from the carousel's big top over the crime scene. Curious little thing.  
Initials - "ARC", left on a unicorn on the carousel by Reynolds. The guy's got some devotion to this carnival...  
Bag of Peanuts - A now-empty bag of peanuts that Ron dropped in the Hall of Mirrors. They were unopened when Maya found them.  
Casino Letter - A letter from a casino that forced Sir Cameron to pay for a debt he owed. They might still influence the case.  
Outage Report - A power outage occurred at 8:13 PM on May 5 due to a cut wire. A backup generator was activated at 8:15 PM while maintenance replaced the wire.  
Murder Weapon - The hideous knife used to kill Sir Cameron Fearanst and sever an electrical wire. Apparently it was stolen from Diablo's collection of knives.  
Ron's Drawing - A depiction of what Ron saw. It shows Sir Cameron and Ellie riding the carousel, and then there's a glint above their heads.  
Photograph - a picture taken by Rudy while undercover; there seems to be an opening in the carousel  
? - evidence that could prove how the murderer knew to kill Sir Cameron  
? - an item of interest that could prove useful in this case  
? - evidence that could prove how Pierre's tied to the incident  
? - evidence that could prove how the lights were turned off

* * *

Time for a rumble in the courtroom!

...witty catchphrase!

* * *

Pierre's Phrases

Lek - Polish, "medication"  
Filippiche eroici - Italian, "heroic tirades"


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Reynolds' Testimony

May 7th, 10:00 A.M.  
District Court  
Courtroom No. 7

The usual courtroom crowd continued their murmurings as per usual. No doubt they were discussing the events of the previous day's trial and the curiosities in today's trial. What new evidence could be brought to light? What questions could be answered? Who would be brought to the stand to testify? And knowing this was a Wright case, there was bound to be some excitement involved.

Finally the judge hammered down his gavel and said, "This court is now in session once again."

"Ze prosecution is ready, _Votre Honneur_," Pierre said, his smile still on his face.

"The defense is ready, Your Honor," Phoenix said, a smile on his face as well.

"What's everyone smiling about?" Maya wondered quietly.

"I suspect we're going to be in for a real treat today," the judge said blinking. "In that case, let's begin. The prosecution may call its first witness."

"Ze prosecution calls Adrian Reynolds Cycle to ze stand," Pierre announced.

_Of course! Reynolds witnessed the murder in sound. No doubt Pierre's done some tinkering with his testimony. I'll have to be smart about the way I go about this. Ellie's life depends on it!_

With his name announced, Reynolds stood up from the gallery and headed over to the lone witness stand, all eyes on him. He started yanking at his collar and sweating again. Pierre directed his full attention onto him.

"State your name and your occupation, _ju lutem,_" Pierre asked.

"Adrian Reynolds Cycle, sir," Reynolds replied. "Although you can just call me Reynolds. I own a bike shop near the carnival."

"And you were at ze carnival at ze time of ze murder, _ja?_" Pierre inquired.

"I was, sir," Reynolds answered.

"Please testify to the court what it you witnessed that night," the judge asked.

**TESTIMONY**

What I Witnessed That Night

"_There I was in the carnival, wandering around and advertising as usual."_

"_I was near the carousel when the lights went out!"_

"_I lost my glasses at some point during the blackout, but I heard some strange noises."_

"_After that, the lights came back on. It was all such a blur though!"_

"_I had to stumble my way back to my shop..."_

...

_Sounds a lot like what he told me yesterday. I don't think there's much else to go on right now._

"Nick, he's said this to us already," Maya murmured.

"I know," Phoenix whispered back.

"Well something feels off," Maya replied quietly.

"You think there's something more that he's not telling us?"

"Maybe...try and press him like you always do!"

"Does the defense wish to cross-examine?" the judge asked.

Phoenix resumed his attention back to the court, where the judge and Pierre were looking over at him expectantly. The judge raised his eyebrows as a cue, to which Phoenix responded, "I would like to cross-examine, Your Honor."

"Very well then," the judge said. "The defense may proceed."

**CROSS-EXAMINATION**

What I Witnessed That Night

"_There I was in the carnival, wandering around and advertising as usual."_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"What were you advertising at the carnival?"

"My bicycle shop, of course," Reynolds replied. "It's not too far from the carnival grounds, so I figured I'd get some good business from that."

"Perhaps _Herra_ Wright would like to purchase a bicycle at ze end of ze trial," Pierre sneered. "Now zen, as for ze trial itself, we've more pressing issues. So then what happened?

"_I was near the carousel when the lights went out!"_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"How close would you say you were to the carousel?"

"Probably about as close as one could be," Reynolds answered.

"And how close is that?" Phoenix pressed.

"I'd say about five feet from the edge of the carousel," Reynolds said. "I was behind a large crowd of people who were surrounding the carousel, hoping to hand them some of my flyers."

"Is zis important to ze case at hand or not, _Herra_ Wright?" Pierre asked insistently.

_Five feet from the carousel? He would've been able to see something at that distance, even if it was dark...but I don't know._

"It could be," Wright answered. "I'm just not entirely sure yet."

"Perhaps the witness would like to continue with his testimony then?" the judge asked.

"Certainly sir," Reynolds replied.

"_I lost my glasses at some point during the blackout, but I heard some strange noises."_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"Can you describe the noises you heard?" Phoenix asked.

"Well, there was some crowd noise, but the most distinct sounds I heard were something along the lines of a creak, a shleak, a thwack, a gasp, another creak, and a latch. In that order," Reynolds replied.

_Strange. Pierre didn't alter this part of his testimony. I thought for sure he wouldn't have let this slide...then again..._

"Can you describe anything you might've seen in this time as well?" Phoenix asked.

"Unfortunately, no," Reynolds answered. "There wasn't much to see, since I lost my glasses at the same time that the lights went out."

"_After that, the lights came back on. It was all such a blur though!"_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"The lights came back on not too much later, right?" Phoenix asked.

"Indeed," Reynolds replied. "It was really dark for a bit while all the carnival lights were off, and losing my glasses didn't help anything either."

"Were you able to find those glasses later?" Phoenix continued.

"Not really," Reynolds answered. "Why, I only got them back from you yesterday-"

_**EINSPRUCH!**_

Pierre slammed his hand on the desk in front of him, saying, "If you wish to have a conversation with ze witness, zen take it outside ze courtroom, _gek._ Otherwise, we have a murder case to close and a defendant to persecute."

_Good grief, this guy wants blood!_ Phoenix thought, a stressed look on his face.

"Well, what happened next?" the judge asked.

"_I had to stumble my way back to my shop..."_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"You stumbled?"

"I stumbled."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Umm...why did you stumble?"

_**EINSPRUCH!**_

Pierre once again slammed his hand onto the desk. "Are you really zat dense, _Herra _Wright?" he asked in an overbearing tone. "Ze witness was blind as a _maulwurf in den schmutz!_ He stumbled because he could not see!"

_Blind as a what?! _

"Unless you haff proof zat zis is relevant to ze case, zen I insist you quit pestering ze witness over such meaningless trivia!" Pierre demanded, his glasses falling down his nose a little. He took a moment to adjust them, a small twinkle reflecting off of them.

"I'm inclined to agree with Pierre," the judge said. "If you've got evidence for this being important, now would be the time to present it."

"I...don't really have any evidence," Phoenix said, rubbing the back of his head in an embarrassed manner.

The judge simply shook his head and said, "Well then, let's not delay this any further and continue with the cross-examination."

"What do you think, Nick?" Maya whispered to Phoenix.

"Well, Reynolds hasn't lied about too much," Phoenix whispered back, mulling over what Reynolds had said. "But something does bother me about the testimony..."

"You think there's more to this than what he's said?" Maya asked.

"Maybe..." Phoenix mulled over things again until...

"_I lost my glasses at some point during the blackout, but I heard some strange noises."_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"Can you describe the noises you heard?" Phoenix asked.

"Well, there was some crowd noise, but the most distinct sounds I heard were something along the lines of a creak, a shleak, a thwack, a gasp, another creak, and a latch. In that order," Reynolds replied.

_Strange. Pierre didn't alter this part of his testimony. I thought for sure he wouldn't have let this slide...then again..._

"Can you describe anything you might've seen in this time as well?" Phoenix asked.

"Unfortunately, no," Reynolds answered. "There wasn't much to see, since I lost my glasses at the same time that the lights went out."

At that moment, Phoenix slammed his hands onto the desk. "How exactly did you lose your glasses?"

"Well, there was a sizable crowd around the carousel," Reynolds said. "I...uh...well, I bumped into someone, I think."

"You bumped into someone, which caused you to lose your glasses in the midst of the blackout?" Phoenix asked.

"Yeah..."

Reynolds got very quiet for a moment before -"AHH! I almost forgot about him!"

"Who did you almost forget about?" Phoenix asked.

"The person I bumped into! Man, he was a hulking man of sorts," Reynolds said. "I can't believe I didn't think of him sooner!"

"Could you please amend your testimony to reflect this change?" the judge asked.

"Certainly."

"_I bumped into a giant man and lost my glasses, but I heard some strange noises."_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"Can you describe the man you bumped into?" Phoenix asked.

"Well, he was a rather large fellow in red," Reynolds began, but then he stopped as he mulled over the details.

"...and?"

"...I think he smelled of smoke."

"Smoke?"

"Yeah. Kind of an odd thing to smell from a guy, huh?" Reynolds asked.

"Is zere something you'd like to say, _Herra_ Wright?" Pierre interjected.

_Something's not right about this testimony...in fact..._

Phoenix slammed his hands down on the desk. "I think there's a contradiction in this testimony," Phoenix said firmly.

"Whuzzat?" Reynolds perked up, raising an eyebrow.

"The lights at the carnival had gone out first, darkening the entire carnival," Phoenix explained. "At some point during the blackout, Reynolds had his glasses knocked over by a person."

"Yes, a large man," Reynolds nodded.

"And you said he smelled of smoke?" Phoenix said.

"I don't see how that's wrong," Reynolds said.

"Yet here's what puzzles me the most," Phoenix continued, slamming his hands down on the desk again. _"How could you see the red he was wearing when you had your glasses knocked off?"_

"Whoa ho ho!" Reynolds practically leapt off the stand at this remark.

_**EINSPRUCH!**_

"What does it matter that he identified the man's choice of color in clothing?" Pierre asked. "That doesn't have anything to do with this case!"

_**OBJECTION!**_

"I think that the man in question has a lot to do with this case!" Phoenix retorted. "Far more to do with this case than what we'd give credit for!"

_**EINSPRUCH!**_

"You don't have any evidence as such!"

_**OBJECTION!**_

"I believe I do have evidence to that point!"

"Well then Mr. Wright, you know how it goes in this courtroom," the judge intervened. "Can you provide some evidence that ties this man to the case at hand?"

"Undeniably," Phoenix said. "This piece of evidence demonstrates this man's importance!"

Phoenix then tossed over to the judge a picture of...

"Wait a moment...isn't this the murder weapon?!" the judge asked.

"Indeed it is," Phoenix replied.

_**EINSPRUCH!**_

"Are you suggesting zat ze murder weapon proves who zis person who bumped into ze witness is?!" Pierre demanded, a fierce grip on the wood of the desk.

"There's only one person I can think of that fits the witness's description of a giant man smelling of smoke," Phoenix said, tossing over another photo to the judge.

"My goodness! Who is this man?" the judge asked.

"He goes by the name Diablo," Phoenix replied. "Worker at the carnival, specifically the Hall of Freaks where he performs his act: swallowing swords and fire."

"_Qu'est ce que c'est?!"_ Pierre jumped back a little that time.

"I've met Diablo on a couple of occasions," Phoenix continued, "and in person the man is, as some might say, larger than life. And given his talent for swallowing fire, I wouldn't be surprised if he did come off smelling like smoke. And since Reynolds here has testified that the man he ran into was wearing red - a choice color in Diablo's costume - I wouldn't be surprised that he ran into him at all, especially since the murder took place during the break time for the performers!"

The crowd began to murmur excitedly. Indeed, this did seem like a logical step in the right direction!

"So what?" Pierre interjected for a moment. "You've found ze one performer who can eat flames and is dressed in red was at ze crime scene. Zat does not prove he's connected to ze murder."

"Once again, you're late to the party," Phoenix said, a smile of triumph on his face. "Not only is Diablo a new witness to the murder, but he's also the one who provided the murder weapon!"

Bringing back the knife, Phoenix continued, "You see this knife is actually part of Diablo's expansive knife collection, and this happens to be one of the knives from that collection!"

"You mean he brought the knife to the carousel that night?" the judge perked up, astonished.

"Not exactly," Phoenix replied. "All that this proves is Diablo's reason for being at the carousel that night."

"What do you mean by that, Mr. Wright?" the judge asked, confused as ever.

"I'm saying that Diablo had gone over to the carousel not to bring the knife but instead to search for it!" Phoenix said, slamming his hands onto the desk. "The fact that he ran into Reynolds is pure coincidence!"

The crowd's murmuring increased in excitement and intensity until the judge finally brought down his gavel.

"Well, that does seem to be a very important clue at this moment," the judge said. "But I'm still curious why this all matters?"

_I feel like the judge just missed the important part of all of this,_ Phoenix thought, a look of frustration over his face.

"Why is it important to know that Diablo is the one who bumped into Reynolds that night?" the judge asked.

"Perhaps, _Herra_ Judge, I might recommend we ask Diablo himself," Pierre suggested, a sly smile on his face.

_I don't like that smile,_ Phoenix thought. _It's like he...knew about this._

"Very well then," the judge nodded in agreement. "If we could have Diablo come to the stand."

* * *

COURT RECORD

Profiles

Sir Cameron Fearanst - the victim, found dead on the back of a white stallion. A professional gambler, he frequently plays on the roulette wheel.  
Ellie Ipssiss Fearanst - the defendant, 15-year old daughter of the victim. She plays off being innocent well.  
Olivia Vale Fearanst - the victim's wife. She was the one who sought my help for the case against her daughter.  
Adrian Reynolds Cycle - owner of a bike shop not far from the scene of the crime, is distracted by the carnival but sees it as good business  
Ron D. Globus - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Buoyant Boy" for his ability to stay above water...and for his surprisingly youthful appearance!  
Ethelinda Nejem - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Snake Lady" due to her appearance. She's really good at reading people.  
Dahnjent Pidisque - owner and ringmaster of the famous Pidisque Carnival, and an eccentric insane fellow. A good friend of Sir Cameron's.  
Pierre Imaterr - the prosecutor of this case, and the legal advisor for the Pidisque Carnival. He's a very strange man overall.  
Diablo - eater of flames and swords and flaming swords. He seems to know a thing or two about the carnival's history.  
Rudy Uscentre - an enthusiastic photographer working for the Radi N' Us local newspaper. He may have captured an important photograph!

Evidence

Attorney Badge - I keep this with me as proof that I'm an attorney. It only does so much for me.  
Magatama - A mystical tool that allows me to look into people's hearts and break the locks that keep them from telling the whole truth.  
Autopsy Report - Victim was stabbed in the back. Time of Death: 8:14 PM. Death was near instantaneous due to spinal shock.  
Carnival Map - A map of the carnival made by Reynolds. It's an accurate rendering of the layout.  
Loose Tile - A tile hanging by a hinge from the carousel's big top over the crime scene. Curious little thing.  
Initials - "ARC", left on a unicorn on the carousel by Reynolds. The guy's got some devotion to this carnival...  
Bag of Peanuts - A now-empty bag of peanuts that Ron dropped in the Hall of Mirrors. They were unopened when Maya found them.  
Casino Letter - A letter from a casino that forced Sir Cameron to pay for a debt he owed. They might still influence the case.  
Outage Report - A power outage occurred at 8:13 PM on May 5 due to a cut wire. A backup generator was activated at 8:15 PM while maintenance replaced the wire.  
Murder Weapon - The hideous knife used to kill Sir Cameron Fearanst and sever an electrical wire. Apparently it was stolen from Diablo's collection of knives.  
Ron's Drawing - A depiction of what Ron saw. It shows Sir Cameron and Ellie riding the carousel, and then there's a glint above their heads.  
Photograph - a picture taken by Rudy while undercover; there seems to be an opening in the carousel  
? - evidence that could prove how the murderer knew to kill Sir Cameron  
? - an item of interest that could prove useful in this case  
? - evidence that could prove how Pierre's tied to the incident  
? - evidence that could prove how the lights were turned off

* * *

Pierre's getting a little crazy with his phrasings, huh? Can Phoenix work through Diablo's testimony, or will the mad prosecutor provide the perfect case against Ellie? Who knows? (I do...) NEXT TIME!

* * *

Pierre's Phrases

Gek - Dutch, "fool"  
maulwurf in den schmutz - German, "mole in the dirt"


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Diablo's Testimony

No doubt about it, Phoenix was absolutely right about Diablo: the man dwarfed the stand he stood before. The judge blinked a few times as he took in the features of the witness before him.

"My goodness, you're a large fellow!" the judge said astonished.

Diablo merely chuckled, a deep throaty laugh that reverberated its own bass in the room. "I take no offense," he said coolly.

"Now now, if you may state your name and occupation," Pierre said.

"I'm Diablo, the fire-eater and sword-swallower of the Pidisque Carnival," Diablo answered.

"You must be an impressive sight to behold," the judge said.

_Sometimes I worry about that judge,_ Phoenix thought, his embarrassment expressing the unspoken thought onto his face.

"Well, I'm sure you understand why you've been summoned," the judge continued.

"I understand," Diablo answered.

"Alright then," the judge nodded. "Let's hear what you have to say about your activity the night of the murder."

**TESTIMONY**

The Night of the Murder

"_I was performing in the Hall of Freaks until the break time."_

"_I decided to walk around the carnival grounds to get some fresh air."_

"_I happened to walk by the carousel and bump into Reynolds when the blackout occurred."_

"_This didn't really bother me, though I could tell the other people nearby were distressed."_

"_Then I heard some noise, and once the hum of electricity came back..."_

"_I heard a scream of terror and the calls of murder."_

...

"...my my, what a gripping tale of excitement and horror!" the judge exclaimed.

_You're not supposed to be overjoyed about this,_ Phoenix thought.

"Well then, would the defense like to cross-examine?" the judge asked.

"With pleasure," Phoenix said, preparing himself for the challenge ahead.

**CROSS-EXAMINATION**

The Night of the Murder

"_I was performing in the Hall of Freaks until the break time."_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"When was break time for you?" Phoenix asked.

"The same as the others," Diablo answered. "Eight o'clock."

"What did you do at that time?" Phoenix continued.

"_I decided to walk around the carnival grounds to get some fresh air."_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"You went out alone across the carnival?" Phoenix asked.

"I happen to know the layout very well," Diablo replied. "It's a necessity given my disability."

"Disability? What would that be?" the judge asked curiously.

"I'm blind, sir," Diablo answered.

"Really? Could have fooled me!" the judge responded.

_That's really not necessary, _Phoenix thought, that embarrassed look returning to his face.

"So you walked about the carnival grounds," the judge nodded. "Then what happened?"

"_I happened to walk by the carousel and bump into Reynolds when the blackout occurred."_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"How did you know that Reynolds was the one you bumped into?" Phoenix asked.

"At the time, I didn't really know who I bumped into," Diablo replied. "But being here in the gallery listening, I gathered that the person I bumped into must have been Reynolds."

"Are you sure it couldn't have been someone else entirely?" Phoenix continued.

"It's entirely plausible," Diablo reaffirmed. "After all, being blind means I don't really know who I bump into."

"So you admit then that you probably bumped into Reynolds that night," Phoenix asked again.

"Most notably, but who knows who I bumped into," Diablo shrugged.

_Diablo may be blind, but why would he have bumped into Reynolds? More importantly, why was he just out and about that night? Something's fishy about this testimony..._

Phoenix stroked his chin for thoughts and asked, "Tell me, Diablo, you were out and about for some reason, weren't you?"

"Aside from getting some fresh air? I imagine that's what you're insinuating right now," Diablo countered.

"I should think so," Phoenix said. Then he slammed his hands on the desk and said, "I think you went out for more than just fresh air that night!"

_**EINSPRUCH!**_

"And what exactly are you preparing yourself to say, _Herra_ Wright?" Pierre intervened. "Are you going to accuse a blind man of going out to murder someone?"

"I wouldn't go that far just yet," Phoenix said. "But I do believe there's evidence for Diablo's trip during the break."

"Oh? I'd like to see this evidence then!" the judge chimed in.

_This is a cinch!_ "Here's the evidence for Diablo's escapade during the break!"

_**TAKE THAT!**_

Phoenix placed down a photo onto the judge's desk again, leading the judge to look down and say-

"The murder weapon again?"

"Just how many times do you plan on flashing zat dagger around?" Pierre asked. "Are you going to suggest that Diablo went to murder Sir Cameron Fearanst?"

"Not quite," Phoenix said. "Diablo still has a special connection to this weapon, but it was not because of any desire for murder. The knife itself belongs in Diablo's collection of knives! _He went out that night looking for the knife!_"

The gallery began its murmuring as the judge brought down the gavel again.

"Order! Order! Order!" the judge called out as he banged the gavel down. "I will have order!"

"Diablo no doubt noticed the knife's disappearance during the break and went in search of it that night to locate it," Phoenix explained. "He bumped into Reynolds on accident when he was near the carousel seeking out the missing knife!"

The judge nodded. "That would make sense," he said. "But then why go to the carousel for a knife?"

Pierre chuckled at this point. "Perhaps we should examine _Herra_ Wright's claim over zese," Pierre said. "If you could please retrieve ze Carnival Map provided by Reynolds..."

_What are you up to?_ Phoenix wondered as he pulled out the map.

"Now zen," Pierre continued, "you'll note ze location of ze Hall of Freaks, ze Hall of Mirrors, ze food stand, ze carousel, and ze trailer park. As stated by Ron, he went straight from ze Hall of Freaks towards ze food stand, came by the carousel at ze time of ze blackout, and zen ran through ze Hall of Mirrors. You remember ze timing of zis incident, no?"

"Kinda, yeah," Phoenix replied.

"Ze exact timing would have been ten minutes, with ze consideration of an additional _trois_ or so for food, zus placing him at ze scene of ze crime easily," Pierre continued. "And yet, where would our friend Diablo need to go first to establish ze missing knife?"

"He'd go to the trailer park where his trailer was, right?" the judge asked, a little confused.

"_Precies!_ Ze witness would need to visit ze trailer park," Pierre said, continuing his explanation. "Zen he would need to go to ze carousel to arrive in ze time frame indicated. So tell me, _Herra _Wright, how long does it take to get to ze carousel from ze trailer park?"

_How long _does _it take? I've been walking that route for a while now, and I can't even remember the timing of it..._ "I'm not entirely sure, actually," Phoenix answered, his hand going to the back of his head.

"Well zen, allow me to illuminate ze _valóság_," Pierre said, adjusting his glasses. Then he slammed his hand onto the desk and announced, _"Ze witness went directly from ze trailer park to ze carousel, as zere's no time to do much else!"_

"WHAT?!" Phoenix jumped back now in surprise. The courtroom crowd began to murmur again as the judge banged his gavel and called for order.

"Witness!" the judge exclaimed. "Is this true?"

Diablo chuckled a little now. "Maybe I should have been clearer from the start," he said.

"Ze prosecution requests ze witness testify over zis matter, _ju lutem,_" Pierre requested, bowing now before the courtroom with a smile upon his face.

The judge nodded, "I agree. Witness, please testify over your travels that night regarding the missing knife...er, the murder weapon."

**TESTIMONY**

The Search for the Knife

"_I did go to my trailer first after the break, just to take care of my knives."_

"_I noticed that one of them was missing while I was there."_

"_The only thing I could find was what lead me to the carousel."_

...

"Erm...that was a little vague," the judge said plainly, blinking his eyes.

"Ze witness is referring to zis note," Pierre said, handing over the evidence.

"This is a note?" the judge asked. "It looks more like a blank piece of paper with tiny holes punched through it."

"Ze note is written in braille, _Votre Honneur_," Pierre explained. "If ze court allows it, Diablo can read ze note readily."

"It would be nice to know what the note says," the judge said.

"The note's rather simple, actually," Diablo interjected, catching everyone's surprise.

"Really? What does it say?" the judge asked, his eyebrows raised up in anticipation.

"'Come to the carousel. Your knife's waiting there.' That's about it," Diablo answered.

**Ransom Note added to the Court Record.**

"Well then, I can only imagine that the defense wishes to cross-examine," the judge said.

"Certainly, Your Honor," Phoenix said. _I don't know what it is, but something keeps bugging me about this testimony._

"Very well, let the cross-examination commence."

**CROSS-EXAMINATION**

The Search for the Knife

"_I did go to my trailer first after the break, just to take care of my knives."_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"Why did you leave this out of your initial testimony?" Phoenix asked.

"It didn't seem that important," Diablo answered dismissively.

_Didn't seem that important...or were you told not to?_

"Is there something wrong, Mr. Wright?" the judge asked.

"Not at the moment, Your Honor," Phoenix replied.

"Very well then," the judge said, "the witness may continue his testimony."

"_I noticed that one of them was missing while I was there."_

_**HOLD IT!**_

Holding up the murder weapon, Phoenix said, "And this is the knife that was missing that night, yes?"

"..."

Diablo didn't reply for a moment. Really, everyone gave Phoenix a look. Phoenix looked around for a moment, wondering what all the looks were for. Maya nudged him and said, "Phoenix, he's blind."

"Oh! Right..."

Phoenix then handed over the murder weapon to Diablo and asked, "Is this the missing knife from that night?"

Feeling over the weapon for a moment, Diablo eventually nodded, "Yes, this would be that knife."

"So what did you do after discovering the knife was missing?" the judge asked.

"_The only thing I could find was what lead me to the carousel."_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"So the note is what lead you to the carousel in the first place, right?" Phoenix asked.

"Yes, the note which I found in my trailer," Diablo confirmed.

"Where did you find the note?" Phoenix continued.

"Right where the missing knife was, actually," Diablo replied. "It's how I figured out the knife had gone missing."

_So his knife went missing and he went to the carousel because of this note,_ Phoenix thought. _If it weren't for the note, he could have done it just as easily as anyone else._

"It seems quite clear, don't you think _Herra_ Wright?"

Phoenix looked up from his thoughts at Pierre, who simply smiled that smile of his. "It would appear zat someone was attempting to frame Diablo for ze murder," Pierre said.

"What?!"

"Is this true?" the judge asked, his astonishment clear in his eyes.

"_Sans aucun doute, Votre Honneur,"_ Pierre replied.

_Say what?_

"It is clear ze murderer, whatever zeir intention, wanted to frame someone for zeir crime," Pierre continued. "Could it be to escape justice? Perhaps. Could it be to have ze fall guy, as zey say? Perhaps. Whatever ze reasoning, ze murderer intended to frame someone, and who better zan ze man with ze knives?"

The crowd began to murmur excitedly over these revelations.

_**OBJECTION!**_

"But Diablo can't see!" Phoenix complained. "There's no way he could have murdered anyone intentionally!"

Then Pierre gave a sly chuckle. Something was up, and Phoenix wondered what it could be.

"My apologies, Mr. Wright."

Phoenix turned with surprise at Diablo, who had spoken up in the midst of this moment. _Wait a minute...it can't be!_

"I'm afraid your intuition is right, to some degree," Diablo said as he reached for and removed his shades. Beneath these shades lay a pair of eye sockets, one with an eye that was loosely covered in a milky film, the other which contained a glass eye and was marked with a scar.

_What...what in the world?_

"I don't like where this is going, Nick," Maya said, a certain uneasiness in her voice.

"You'll have to forgive me for deceiving you for so long," Diablo continued. "The truth is that I'm only half-blind. This little eye here is all I have to see with, and it's slowly succumbing to a long-standing family line of blindness."

"That's...that's quite a shock!" the judge said.

"But then...you can see!" Phoenix yelped.

"Again, to some degree," Diablo replied. "It's no surprise then that a murderer would want to frame me."

"You see it now, _Herra _Wright?" Pierre said. "Our friend here is not so blind zat he couldn't stab a man readily. With zis note as evidence, zis is truly ze only salvation for a nearly-blind man."

_So someone worked to frame Diablo for the murder of Sir Cameron Fearanst? And the only thing that stopped it was this note?...but that just doesn't make sense._

Phoenix became wrapped up in his thoughts as the judge simply nodded his head. "I see," the judge said. "But then who would have done it then?"

"_Votre Honneur,_ if I may suggest something," Pierre said.

"Oh? Certainly!" the judge replied willingly.

"Zere are only so many people who know Diablo well enough to know of his incomplete blindness," Pierre continued. "Ergo, zere are only so many people who would frame him for zis crime."

_He's right! That would limit it to only the carnival folk!_

"Ze clown, ze snake lady, and ze manager of ze carnival each have zere alibis," Pierre continued. "Ze clown was snacking on peanuts, ze snake lady remained at ze Hall of Freaks, and ze carnival manager was in ze Hall of Mirrors. Ze bike shop manager would not have known, zus leaving only one other possibility."

"Oh? And who would that be?" the judge asked.

Pierre simply smirked. "Ze only other one who would know is Sir Cameron Fearanst!" he replied.

_The victim?!_

The crowd's murmuring became intensified as the judge banged his gavel and cried out, "Order! Order! Order!" Eventually they settled down again, and the judge asked, "The victim you say?"

"_Ja,_ _Votre Honneur,_" Pierre replied.

"B-b-but the victim wouldn't stab himself, would he?" the judge asked.

"_Ekki, Votre Honneur,_" Pierre answered. "Sir Cameron would have been unable to inflict ze wound to himself."

"Oh...that's a good point," the judge agreed.

_Really? I would have thought that would be obvious!_

"So zat leaves only one other person," Pierre continued. "Ze only other person he would have told about Diablo's secret in all ze world!"

Pierre brought down his hand dramatically and called out, "Ze defendant herself, Elly Fearanst!"

The crowd stirred again with the judge banging his gavel again!

_**OBJECTION!**_

"There's no way my client would do such a thing to her father!" Phoenix said.

Pierre smirked at this, that taunting smirk of his. "And why not, _Herra _Wright? Because she is of ze innocent physique? Ze picturesque innocence?" he asked. Then his tone changed as he glared down at Wright, saying, "Zere is much you know not of, Wright. Surely you have seen ze wrath of ze late Sir Cameron's wife, _ekki?_"

Phoenix did recall the time when Olivia had snapped over hearing that her husband was a gambler as well as an accountant. She recovered quickly, give or take, but still...how did Pierre find out about that?

"Th-that doesn't matter in this case!" Phoenix countered.

"_EKKI!_ Zis matters greatly in ze motive," Pierre argued. "Ze motive of a tormented child, raised upon ze stain of her father's addiction, ze wrath of her single mother ever-present behind her, ze years of wallowing, waiting...do you not see it, _Herra_ Wright?"

_He's trying to paint a picture behind this entire family! But there's no way you can do that without-_

"Perhaps you need ze proof."

Phoenix gasped as Pierre had nearly read his mind. The judge looked up with interest.

"And what is this proof you have for this theory?" the judge asked.

Pierre simply smirked and said, "Here."

He held up one thing: a family portrait. A small picture of Elly and Olivia, simply standing and looking at the camera, no emotion.

**Family Portrait added to the Court Record.**

"Wh-what is this?" the judge asked.

"Zis is what may be a simple picture," Pierre explained, "but you will note only ze defendant and her mother are present. Zey do not smile, zey do not laugh with joy, zey do not experience ze happy thoughts because zey do not have one member of ze family - ze father!"

"But what does a family portrait have to do with this case?" the judge asked.

"You may note ze date on ze photograph," Pierre continued, prompting the judge to examine the picture more closely.

"Why this was only taken a few months ago," the judge said. "But then why isn't Sir Cameron in the photo?"

"Why indeed, _Votre Honneur,_" Pierre smiled. "It is ze prosecution's belief zat zis family was not so happy without zeir father, and even zen zey were not complete!"

_What do I do? I can't let Pierre keep this up! He's going to indict Elly at this point!_

"Nick, we gotta do something!" Maya said.

"But there's nothing we can do to refute this claim over the family..."

"Well then, let's take the heat off of them a little!"

_Maya's right. I've gotta act now!_

_**OBJECTION!**_

"This photo may be incriminating as a backstory," Phoenix said, "but I think there may have been another person that could have murdered Sir Cameron!"

Pierre simply shook his head. "Zere is no one else zat could have done zis terrible atrocity," Pierre said. "Ze victim fell to a crime of passion, and zere is nothing more zat can be said zan zat."

_**OBJECTION!**_

"I know there's someone we haven't talked to yet!" Phoenix argued, struggling to maintain a grip on the trial. "We just haven't-"

_**EINSPRUCH!**_

Pierre slammed his hand on the desk. "Zere is nothing more zan zis," Pierre said assertively. "Ze verdict, _Votre Honneur,_ she awaits!"

The judge hummed for a moment. "I'm not entirely sure about the significance of this date though," the judge said. "What happened on this January 27th? And does this affect the trial?"

"If it would please you, _Votre Honneur_, I have secured ze boy who took zat picture," Pierre said.

_He managed to track down the photographer?! That's...that's impossible!_

"Oh?" the judge asked curiously. "Then if that's the case, perhaps we should-

_**OBJECTION!**_

_I don't know if I should let this guy on the stand, but I'm going to try my point again. _"I still press that there's someone we haven't talked with-"

_**EINSPRUCH!**_

"Don't argue over matters with which we agree over, _Herra Gek_," Pierre sneered. "We're about to talk with the one person we haven't talked with as of yet. As for Diablo, you are dismissed!"

Diablo nodded as he headed off of the stand. The judge brought down his gavel and said, "Well now, I think it's best if we take a ten-minute recess to gather our thoughts on the matter. Please be back by the end of the break."

_No! It may be too late! I don't even know if I can-_

"Nick! What do we do?" Maya asked.

Phoenix took a breath and sighed. "I don't really know what to do," he said. "We've never even laid eyes on this photographer before. I'm sure we can bring up the one contradiction that everyone's looked over though, but we'll need to play our cards right for now."

_I don't know what I'm gonna do, or even how I'm gonna do it, but I will get to the bottom of this!_

* * *

COURT RECORD

Profiles

Sir Cameron Fearanst - the victim, found dead on the back of a white stallion. A professional gambler, he frequently plays on the roulette wheel.  
Ellie Ipssiss Fearanst - the defendant, 15-year old daughter of the victim. She plays off being innocent well.  
Olivia Vale Fearanst - the victim's wife. She was the one who sought my help for the case against her daughter.  
Adrian Reynolds Cycle - owner of a bike shop not far from the scene of the crime, is distracted by the carnival but sees it as good business  
Ron D. Globus - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Buoyant Boy" for his ability to stay above water...and for his surprisingly youthful appearance!  
Ethelinda Nejem - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Snake Lady" due to her appearance. She's really good at reading people.  
Dahnjent Pidisque - owner and ringmaster of the famous Pidisque Carnival, and an eccentric insane fellow. A good friend of Sir Cameron's.  
Pierre Imaterr - the prosecutor of this case, and the legal advisor for the Pidisque Carnival. He's a very strange man overall.  
Diablo - eater of flames and swords and flaming swords. He seems to know a thing or two about the carnival's history.  
Rudy Uscentre - an enthusiastic photographer working for the Radi N' Us local newspaper. He may have captured an important photograph!

Evidence

Attorney Badge - I keep this with me as proof that I'm an attorney. It only does so much for me.  
Magatama - A mystical tool that allows me to look into people's hearts and break the locks that keep them from telling the whole truth.  
Autopsy Report - Victim was stabbed in the back. Time of Death: 8:14 PM. Death was near instantaneous due to spinal shock.  
Carnival Map - A map of the carnival made by Reynolds. It's an accurate rendering of the layout.  
Loose Tile - A tile hanging by a hinge from the carousel's big top over the crime scene. Curious little thing.  
Initials - "ARC", left on a unicorn on the carousel by Reynolds. The guy's got some devotion to this carnival...  
Bag of Peanuts - A now-empty bag of peanuts that Ron dropped in the Hall of Mirrors. They were unopened when Maya found them.  
Casino Letter - A letter from a casino that forced Sir Cameron to pay for a debt he owed. They might still influence the case.  
Outage Report - A power outage occurred at 8:13 PM on May 5 due to a cut wire. A backup generator was activated at 8:15 PM while maintenance replaced the wire.  
Murder Weapon - The hideous knife used to kill Sir Cameron Fearanst and sever an electrical wire. Apparently it was stolen from Diablo's collection of knives.  
Ron's Drawing - A depiction of what Ron saw. It shows Sir Cameron and Ellie riding the carousel, and then there's a glint above their heads.  
Photograph - a picture taken by Rudy while undercover; there seems to be an opening in the carousel  
? - evidence that could prove how the murderer knew to kill Sir Cameron  
? - an item of interest that could prove useful in this case  
? - evidence that could prove how Pierre's tied to the incident  
? - evidence that could prove how the lights were turned off  
Ransom Note - a note written in braille telling Diablo to head to the carousel.  
Family Portrait - a portrait of Elly and Olivia taken on January 27, the same day Sir Cameron got his scars

* * *

What's that slimy Pierre up to now? And who is this mysterious photographer from some time ago? Is Phoenix prepared for this?!

* * *

Pierre's Phrases

trois - French, three  
precies - Dutch, "exactly" or "precisely"  
valóság - Hungarian, "truth"  
sans aucun doute - French, "without a doubt"  
ekki - Icelandic, "no"


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23: The Photographer's Testimony

May 7th, 11:12 AM  
District Court  
Defendant Lobby No. 2

"I can't believe we let him get away with that!"

Maya was fuming a bit over the fiasco that had occurred in court just a few minutes ago. Phoenix simply had his arms crossed and waited for Maya to simmer down a bit.

"It's just...oooh! He really steams me!" she exclaimed as Ellie came up with a sorrowful expression on her face. Olivia had also joined the small gathering when they exited the courtroom, more concerned over Ellie than anything else.

"You don't think that the court will believe what Pierre's said, do you?" Olivia asked.

_All things considered, he's painting a good picture..._

Phoenix recalled some of the facts of the case that had been brought to his attention: the exact date of Sir Cameron Fearanst's incident alongside Ethelinda and Dahnjent occurred on the night of January 26th, the day before the photo of Ellie and her mother was taken. Assuming that these events had transpired as such, it would be easy to assume that Olivia and Ellie were a bit bitter over Sir Cameron's gambling. If Sir Cameron had apologized to Olivia and then revealed to Ellie that he was continuing to gambling, she could have a justifiable reason to kill him in a crime of passion, as Pierre had stated it. Needless to say...

"There's a lot of assumptions to be made if the court is to believe Pierre's claim," Phoenix said. "We may be able to turn this around when court comes back in session."

"I hope so," Olivia said, a downtrodden look on her face. Phoenix could tell that it wasn't just speculation that was in Pierre's claim; some of it was based on the truth.

_But the real truth is what will set them free._

* * *

May 7th, 11:22 A.M.  
District Court  
Courtroom No. 7

The courtroom crowd continued their murmuring as the two sides headed back into the courtroom. No doubt they had been discussing what had been brought up from before the break, and now there was only one thing - or rather, one person - who could bring it all to light. Finally the judge brought down his gavel, signaling-

"Court is now back in session," the judge announced. "Has the prosecution prepared their witness?"

"_Ausreichend und ohne sorgen, Votre Honneur,"_ Pierre replied, bowing before the judge to signify what he meant.

The judge nodded in reply. "Very well, the prosecution may call its witness."

_This is it. If I can't prove what I need to with this witness, then it may be over sooner than I thought!_

"Ze prosecution, she calls forth ze photographer, Rudy Uscentre!"

_...wait...WHAT?!_

Before he knew it, Phoenix was looking at the peculiar photographer, dressed in his vest and suspenders, his beret on his head, and his glasses as thick-rimmed as ever. Rudy Uscentre was now front and center for all of the court to hear.

"Witness, state your name and occupation," Pierre asked.

"Pleasure to all of you!" Rudy said. "Rudy Uscentre, local photographer for the Radi N' Us newspaper!"

"I don't think I've heard of the Radi N' Us newspaper," the judge said blankly.

"Well, it's kind of a personal business," Rudy responded, scratching the back of his head.

"I see! What an interesting line of work to be in," the judge said, amused.

"Before ze witness began his newspaper, he worked as a part-time photographer," Pierre explained. "It should be to ze court's liking zat ze witness was in fact ze photographer of ze photo provided previously."

"The family portrait you mean?" the judge asked.

"_Precies, Votre Honneur,"_ Pierre replied.

"Interesting," the judge nodded.

"Now zen, Rudy," Pierre said, "please inform ze court of ze proceedings of zat photograph to ze best of your memory."

"You got it!" Rudy smiled.

_Why do I get the feeling he doesn't have a clue what's going on..._

**TESTIMONY**

The Photograph

"_I remember taking that photograph a few months ago!"_

"_It was pretty chilly that day, so I wore a coat just to keep me warm."_

"_I remember having a brief conversation with the mother as well."_

"_She was lamenting over how her husband wouldn't be able to make the photo shoot."_

"_Still, we took a few pictures anyway, and then she paid me and left."_

...

"That seems so...poignant!" the judge said.

"Wouldn't miss a beat for the world!" Rudy replied, giving a thumbs-up to the judge.

"Very well then, we'll move onto the cross-examination," the judge announced.

"Yes, Your Honor." _That was a bit short...and a bit vague._

**CROSS-EXAMINATION**

The Photograph

"_I remember taking that photograph a few months ago!"_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"So you actually took a picture of the Fearanst family?" Phoenix asked.

"Now now, I was just getting to that!" Rudy replied. "You gotta remember I didn't always work for the newspaper business!"

_I don't even know if you should have worked for the newspaper business,_ Phoenix thought, sweating a little over the matter.

"I used to take photographs for hire," Rudy explained. "Needed a photo done? I was your guy! And I got hired to take their photo."

_It seems like a big coincidence that he took a photo of the family,_ Phoenix thought to himself. _I wonder..._

"Who recommended you to the Fearanst family?" Phoenix pressed.

"Ellie, of course!" Rudy replied.

"Wh...WHAT?!"

"She found me out and about while I was taking photos one day," Rudy explained. "We got to talking, swapped some numbers, and a few days later she called me up for my photography skills."

_There's a lot of history I don't even know about,_ Phoenix thought.

"Who knew Rudy and Ellie were so well acquainted with each other?" Maya mused.

"I think Pierre was counting on that..."

"Well then, let's move onto that day in particular," the judge said. "The witness may continue with his testimony."

"_It was pretty chilly that day, so I wore a coat just to keep me warm."_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"You...wear coats?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

The courtroom went rather oddly quiet with Phoenix's peculiar question. It seemed everyone was thrown off by it.

"Well, when it's cold, yeah," Rudy finally responded.

"Perhaps if ze defense lacks ze common sense to avoid such questions, we should excuse zem until ze defense has zeir head on straight," Pierre sneered, a distinctly unamused frown on his face.

"I agree with prosecution on this one," the judge said, a scowl on his face. "The defense will refrain from asking trivial questions."

_Guess this isn't the time for such things,_ Phoenix thought, another bullet of sweat coming down.

"Get it together, Nick!" Maya scolded. "We're trying to help Ellie!"

"The witness may continue with his testimony," the judge announced.

"_I remember having a brief conversation with the mother as well."_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"What did you discuss?" Phoenix asked.

Rudy scratched the back of his head and replied, "I don't really remember the specifics, but I think it had something to do with her husband."

"You mean the late Sir Cameron?" Phoenix pressed.

"Yeah...yeah, I think I remember a little bit about it," Rudy said.

"Well, what did the two of you talk about?" the judge asked.

"_She was lamenting over how her husband wouldn't be able to make the photo shoot."_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"Do you remember why her husband couldn't make the shoot?" Phoenix asked, his hands down on the desk.

"I think it had something to do with his work," Rudy replied. "Maybe he got caught up with crunching some numbers or something..."

"Can you be a little more specific?" Phoenix pressed.

"Lemme think..." Rudy then struck a thinking pose that he held for a while.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Well?" the judge inquired.

"OH! Right, I need to think about that convo!" Rudy suddenly flashed. At that point, everyone had practically fallen over in some form or another.

"Y-yes! You need to remember what that conversation was about!" Phoenix said. _Seriously?!_

"Okay! I got it!" Rudy exclaimed. "I remember what the conversation was about now!"

"Please change your testimony to reflect that then," the judge said.

"_She was depressed cause her husband was caught up with his work and couldn't make it to the shoot."_

_**HOLD IT!**_

"Are you sure about this?" Phoenix pre-

_**EINSPRUCH!**_

Pierre slammed his hand onto the desk before saying, "_Herra_ Wright, if zere is something za matter with ze witness' testimony, zen cease _verte az egész bokor _and get to ze point!"

_Cease what?!_

"If the prosecution is objecting to...what I think he's objecting to," the judge intervened, "then I agree that you should move along with your cross-examination."

_Whose side is he on anyway?_

"You think there's something in his testimony?" Maya asked curiously.

"I don't really know what it is exactly, but I think we just opened a door wide open," Phoenix replied.

"Did we really? You're awfully perceptive!" Maya complimented with that cheery smile of hers.

"Now it's just a matter of proving it!" _And I think I know the right spot to hit..._

"_She was depressed cause her husband was caught up with his work and couldn't make it to the shoot."_

_**OBJECTION!**_

"You say that the conversation was about her husband working?" Phoenix asked.

"I think so," Rudy answered.

"Then I would think again if I were you!" Phoenix retorted, brandishing the Casino Letter in hand. "I think that your memory might be a bit faulty!"

Rudy jumped back, his beret falling off of his head as the crowd began to murmur excitedly again. The judge brought down his gavel and called out, "Order! Order!"

Looking down at Wright, the judge asked, "What exactly are you trying to say, Mr. Wright?"

"Your Honor, it has come to my attention that there's a certain event in Sir Cameron's life that is currently affecting the case at hand," Phoenix explained. "And this piece of evidence proves that!"

"A letter from a casino?" the judge asked.

"This isn't just any casino, Your Honor," Phoenix continued. "This is from the well-established Flamenco Casino chain, writing to Sir Cameron about a very important issue."

"Let me see..." the judge said as he began to read the Casino Letter. He perused its contents until...

"Wait a moment...this letter talks about a debt Sir Cameron owed the casino!" the judge announced.

"That's only half true, Your Honor," Phoenix said. "You see it was on that night of January 26th when the casino decided to take action against Sir Cameron and take back his debt in a very physical manner - _they were responsible for giving him that scar on his face!"_

A huge swell of excitement burst through the crowd as they responded to this accusation.

"What cruel folks!"

"That's terrible!"

"Do casinos really do that?"

"I've heard of terrible things happening in casinos, but I would never have thought of this!"

The judge then banged his gavel several times. "Order! Order! Order! Order! I said Order!" he cried out, working to get the crowd under control.

_**EINSPRUCH!**_

With a single word and a slam on the desk, the crowd quieted down almost instantly as all eyes were drawn toward Pierre.

"If ze defense wishes to expose ze truth of Sir Cameron's lack of attendance for a family outing, zen by all means," he said, a combination of snark and sneering in his tone. "Ze have merely served to prove my point."

"Y-your point?" Phoenix asked.

"_Tak tak, Herra Wright,_" Pierre grinned. "You say zat Sir Cameron was in trouble with ze casino and did not attend his family outing as a result, _ja?_ Zen zat should prove all zat I need."

"I don't seem to follow, Pierre," the judge asked curiously.

Pierre merely chuckled. Then he snapped his fingers in a manner so akin to a legendary prosecutor that for a moment Phoenix thought that that man had walked into the room to bring about an objection to the table.

"Sir Cameron got in trouble with a casino," Pierre explained. "Zis causes ze rift in ze family. Sir Cameron continues his reckless gambling, and someone demands it stop. Who demands it, you ask?"

Pierre then brought this hand down on the desk and cried out, _"ZE DEFENDANT HERSELF!"_

Caught in the moment of intensity, the crowd began to swell with excitement again!

_**OBJECTION!**_

_It's now or never!_ "I object!"

Pierre chuckled. "You have no reason to object, _Herra _Wright," he said. "Zere is nothing to object to unless you wish to delay zese zings further."

"I'm not objecting to the conclusion given...I'm objecting _for another reason_!"

"_Qu'est ce que c'est?"_

"What reason could you have to object for, Mr. Wright?" the judge asked, now curious over his reason.

"It is my belief that there's another person in this case we have yet to meet," Phoenix said. "Someone we haven't seen or heard from throughout the entire case."

"Oh? And who might that be?" the judge asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Phoenix asked. Then he slammed his hands down on the desk and called out, _"I mean the murderer themselves!"_

"_Qu'est ce que c'est?!"_

"What's this?!"

The crowd got very excited and began murmuring even moreso. The judge banged his gavel a few times to signify order.

"Mr. Wright! What is the meaning of this?" the judge asked.

"Indeed, _Herra_ Wright, what do you mean?" Pierre demanded as well.

"It's really quite simple," Phoenix said. _Now's the time to drive it home!_

"We've met all sorts of people from the night of the murder. We met Ron, who witnessed the murder happen from a distance. We met Reynolds and Diablo, who stood by right next to the carousel when the murder occurred. But there was one more person that fateful night with whom we haven't even met yet."

"Get on with it, _Herra Wright!"_ Pierre demanded. "Who are you referring to that was also zere? Ethelinda was at ze Hall of Freaks, Dahnjent was in his office, and unless you're referring to Rudy, zere's no one else left!"

"There is one person left after all the names have been taking out," Phoenix said, slamming his hands on the desk. "The one person who could have been capable of killing Sir Cameron Fearanst is none other than..."

"_THE CAROUSEL OPERATOR!"_

"_QU'EST CE QUE C'EST?!"_

"_WHAT IS THIS?!"_

At that point, the crowd was on the bursting point, the judge's gavel ringing out continuously until-

_**EINSPRUCH!**_

"How do you know of ze carousel operator?!" Pierre demanded.

"That's not really important, is it?" Phoenix retorted. "Unless you've got something more to hide."

_Time to bring you to justice!_ Phoenix then pointed and cried out, _"It was you, Pierre Imaterr! You're the murderer!"_

At that point the crowd lost control and went completely nuts. Not even the judge's gavel could bring them to order, and with that the court trial was suspended.

_Even I couldn't think after that moment. But the truth was clear enough to me. Pierre Imaterr was the legal counsel of the Pidisque Carnival, the last person we'd met with a connection to the case. And tomorrow, we'd have to figure out a way to bring him to justice._

* * *

COURT RECORD

Profiles

Sir Cameron Fearanst - the victim, found dead on the back of a white stallion. A professional gambler, he frequently plays on the roulette wheel.  
Ellie Ipssiss Fearanst - the defendant, 15-year old daughter of the victim. She plays off being innocent well.  
Olivia Vale Fearanst - the victim's wife. She was the one who sought my help for the case against her daughter.  
Adrian Reynolds Cycle - owner of a bike shop not far from the scene of the crime, is distracted by the carnival but sees it as good business  
Ron D. Globus - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Buoyant Boy" for his ability to stay above water...and for his surprisingly youthful appearance!  
Ethelinda Nejem - employee at the Pidisque Carnival, known as the "Snake Lady" due to her appearance. She's really good at reading people.  
Dahnjent Pidisque - owner and ringmaster of the famous Pidisque Carnival, and an eccentric insane fellow. A good friend of Sir Cameron's.  
Pierre Imaterr - the prosecutor of this case, and the legal advisor for the Pidisque Carnival. He's a very strange man overall.  
Diablo - eater of flames and swords and flaming swords. He seems to know a thing or two about the carnival's history.  
Rudy Uscentre - an enthusiastic photographer working for the Radi N' Us local newspaper. He may have captured an important photograph!

Evidence

Attorney Badge - I keep this with me as proof that I'm an attorney. It only does so much for me.  
Magatama - A mystical tool that allows me to look into people's hearts and break the locks that keep them from telling the whole truth.  
Autopsy Report - Victim was stabbed in the back. Time of Death: 8:14 PM. Death was near instantaneous due to spinal shock.  
Carnival Map - A map of the carnival made by Reynolds. It's an accurate rendering of the layout.  
Loose Tile - A tile hanging by a hinge from the carousel's big top over the crime scene. Curious little thing.  
Initials - "ARC", left on a unicorn on the carousel by Reynolds. The guy's got some devotion to this carnival...  
Bag of Peanuts - A now-empty bag of peanuts that Ron dropped in the Hall of Mirrors. They were unopened when Maya found them.  
Casino Letter - A letter from a casino that forced Sir Cameron to pay for a debt he owed. They might still influence the case.  
Outage Report - A power outage occurred at 8:13 PM on May 5 due to a cut wire. A backup generator was activated at 8:15 PM while maintenance replaced the wire.  
Murder Weapon - The hideous knife used to kill Sir Cameron Fearanst and sever an electrical wire. Apparently it was stolen from Diablo's collection of knives.  
Ron's Drawing - A depiction of what Ron saw. It shows Sir Cameron and Ellie riding the carousel, and then there's a glint above their heads.  
Photograph - a picture taken by Rudy while undercover; there seems to be an opening in the carousel  
? - evidence that could prove how the murderer knew to kill Sir Cameron  
? - an item of interest that could prove useful in this case  
? - evidence that could prove how Pierre's tied to the incident  
? - evidence that could prove how the lights were turned off  
Ransom Note - a note written in braille telling Diablo to head to the carousel.  
Family Portrait - a portrait of Elly and Olivia taken on January 27, the same day Sir Cameron got his scars

* * *

Phoenix...what are you doing...Phoenix stahp

WELL THEN I GUESS WE'RE GOING TO PUT PIERRE ON THE STAND!...if we can find a prosecutor to take his place...

* * *

Pierre's Phrases

_Ausreichend und ohne sorgen_ - German, "sufficiently and without worry"  
_verte az egész bokor - _Hungarian, "beat around the bush"


End file.
